


Living Souls on the verge of a nervous breakdown

by lemarq359



Series: Living Souls [1]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Dramedy, Drug Addiction, Multi, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, Tragedy/Comedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-16
Updated: 2017-08-25
Packaged: 2018-12-16 02:27:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 28,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11819313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lemarq359/pseuds/lemarq359
Summary: It's a story about love, but it's not a romance. It's a comedy, but not everyone is laughing. It's a story the only thing you can expect, is the unexpectet.Previously published at fanfiction.net in German and English. WARNING: Contains Suicidal Thoughs and drug abuse.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a story about some human bleach characters and thier fears and worries. Sets two years after the bleach epilouge.

An empty sake-bottle laid on the ground, next to some pills. Over that hang an lifeless arm. He fell asleep before he was ready. Now he laid there like a dead...

First he wanted to take just one. He wanted to sleep one night to think about it. But it was too much for him, so he took enough to kill himself. All this mess, and than this stupid message on the backside of a CD-cover: „Thats enough! I can't stand it anymore! Keigo... I say it simply: It's over!“

He never believed that he overacts so much. Nobody would. His alarm-clock next to his bed was ringing. But nothing could wake him up. Everyone who would found him would say that he is dead. The ringing alert-clock and the ringing phone in the living-room were not able to wake him up. The drugs and the alcohol worked to well.

Everything seemed so wonderful. After all the shit in his past. Here was his own little peaceful world. He had succes, was popular, he earned more money than all of his former classmates together... and he had his peace. His violent sister was just a demonic memory he succesfully suppressed, when it came up. His selfish parents, who prefered to look for thier careers first and only groused. And his classmates... his so called friends... Keigo knew that this 'group' just tolarated him reluctantly. Seeing not more than a nuisance in him.

Here he was happy. Shortly after his graduation from high-school, his sister banished him out of thier appartment. Due to his bad grades he didn't went to college like the others. So he decided to go. To start all over again. The others did not care. He moved to Central Tokyo. He lived there as a homeless, untill he finally found a job in this dubbing-studio. It was just a poorly paid temporary job. But it was enough for the first time. One day, someone heard him talking... and that was the beginning of his voice-actor career...

And now he lives in this wide, expensive penthouse in Minato. Tokyos most expensive neighbourhood. With a wide terrace that had enough space for a jungle of plants and some pets (3 chickens and 2 ducks) with his self build hutch. Here in the 14th floor it was quiet and some people told him that he has luck, to have some green space here in the middle of worlds biggest city.

And there was her. They worked together. He had a crush on her from the beginning. She a bit later. He bought her presents, they went on journeys toghether... But her condition was that he tells nobody about thier relationship. The people would talk about it. And he accepted. Although he wanted to pose with her. Especially in front of his so called friends, who said once that they don't believe that any women on this world would withstand a relationship with him. That he just listened once, when he eavesdroped on them.

But now, everthing was over. His little world was crumbling. His self-made protective shield blowed up. The past hit him with a punch that even Tatsuki would have cried like a little girl. For what? Why he is the one, who has to handle all the shit? The media had spread it. For months the people in Japan had no other subject to talk about. Even in the United States and Europe the people had wild theories. At first it looked as if he comes away unscathed. After his departure from Karakura, he had distanced himself from everything. He quickly regretted that he returned to years ago to watch Chad's boxing-match with the others. Not only because of the eight slaps he recieved that day from Tatsuki. Nobody seemed to know what he recieved till that day. He left before the fight was over. The others didn't seem to notice his sudden disappearance. Only Kazui, Ichigo's son, saw him leaving. When the little boy asked, what was going on he just answered: He must go!

No phone-call, no E-Mail. He left and went for his own. Nobody knew that he was already more famous than Chad. But no one said anything. Keigo knew, that nobody care for him. So he left. He was tired to run after his so called friends. He thought he had done everthing right. But now he knew that it was not so...

The telephone in the living-room rang ever and ever again. Eight messages where on the answering-mashine. But Keigo Asano, who thought he was finally on the top, didn't wake up. Will he wake up ever again?

Some kilometres away, the woman, Keigo thought she was the only one and just played with him, stood in front of a microphone in the dubbing-stuido. She weared headphones, to keep sure that she hears everything. On the desk in front of her was the script, an author wrote together with some translators. She only had to read it. And she had to speak, so that it looked like the blonde American lady on the screen in front of her said it. A brand new play that was dubbed for the japanese theaters. She was a very good voice actor. With cold eyes she stared on the screen and talked...

“Give me just one reason to believe you!“ she said with a mad and threatening voice. The picture changed to a man who said something. But there was no sound. Of course not, because they where dubbing here into Japanese. “So, if it's true... tell me that you love me!“ she continued. The picture changed to the man again who said something and than to the woman again. “Tell me, that you love me so much that you have died for me! That I am so important for you!“ The American on the screen became mad when he said something. The picture changed to the woman again: „You see, that is not so difficult!“

The man on the screen grabed a bottle and threw it angrilly on the ground. Than the scene was over. The women took off the headphones, bored and threw them on the desk in front of her.

“Ready! The rest you can make by yourself!“ she jelled with a strident vioce threw the studio and left.

The man who worked at the welcome-desk of the studio knew that this job was not as well as he first thought. Everytime he met this woman, that showed her true character when Keigo was not there too, he realised that he was underpaid. She was a difficult and sickening person. She wrote down two phone-numbers on a note and handed it to the man.

“Connect me with this numbers!“ she said imperative.

The man didn't even ask why she did not use her own cell phone, so he just followed her order. Just to avoid any other word from her...

Keigo was still in bed. Sleeping like a dead, when the phone start to ring. The answering mashine switched on immediately.

“Keigo, are you there? If not... not so bad... well! I just want to tell you that I will fly away for a week. I come later and pick up my personal things. It would be very nice from you, when you put my things into my suitcase and...“ In that moment Keigo woke up scared. He felt dazed and sick. But her brash voice scared him up. “...I'll call you back...“

Keigo jumped of his bed, ran out of his bedroom, stumbled over a blanked on the ground and reached the phone.

“Goodbye, Keigo!“ where her last words before Keigo finally reached the phone and picked up...

“H... Hello... Akira?“ he said. But the only thing he could hear was the beeping in the line. She hang off before. Immediately Keigo felt dazed again...


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please excuse possible grammar mistakes. English is not my first language.

Keigo start to get nausea. The pills and the alcohol caused a terrible hangover and horribile headache. Keigo opened the list of incomming calls and found the number of the phone she used to call him.

In the lobby of the dubbing studio, the man from the welcome-desk picked up the ringing phone. “Nippon Dubbing! Welcome desk! How can I help you?“

“This is... Keigo Asano speaking!“ Keigo stammered. „I got a call, just a minute ago! Is...“

“NO!“ the man said immediately. “Sorry, she left!“

It was a lie. She was still in the lobby and just prepared to go. But the man didn't want to talk to her again, so he lied.

“Is that Asano on the phone?“ the man from the studio asked. The receptionist nooded. “I want to talk to him!“

“Oh, Asano-san, the producer is here. He wants to talk to you!“

Keigo got a little bit scared. He knew that he would be really mad. He saw that it was almost midday and he was not in the stuido.

“KEIGO!“ the producer jelled angrilly. His voice caused much more pain in Keigo's head. „Where are you? I tried to call you the whole morning?“

“I'm so sorry!“ Keigo murmured and hold his aching and throbbing head. Now he need a well apology. “I... sleept pretty bad last night so... I took a sleeping pill! But it was not so good and it worked a bit... to well... I come as fast as I can!“

“Well... The first soundtrack is ready. We recorded it without you!“ the producer said while looking on the watch. “Please hurry, so we can finish the rest today.“

“Okay! I'll be there as soon as possible. I just need a few minutes because, I have to pick up a test-result from my doctor. But than I come...“

After that, Keigo hurried to leave as soon as possible. He put on his clouthes and went to the bathroom. He looked horrible. Everyone could see that he had a hangover and that he took some drugs. He had to hide his condition or the people would talk about it. A few minutes later he left his penthouse, wearing sunglasses and a cap to hide his face. After the scandal it was necessary. He turned into a quiet and shy person. The people realised that.

He took the elevator down to the lobby and left the building. He had to see this doctor. After that, he will return, take his car and drive to the studio in Shibuya. He looked around. His neigborhood was one of the best, safest and most expensive in Tokyo. Between the buildings he saw the Tokyo-Tower, that was just a few minutes away.

Keigo went to a small clinic. When his girlfriend had to puke several weeks ago he took her here because the doctors here where some of the best (and most expensive) in Japan. They where also very fast with test-results. So Keigo had to waid only two minutes, before he got an envelope with the test-results from the doctor. The name of his girlfriend and the name confidental was on it, but Keigo got it, because he paid the bill.

“Why she didn't came? Whe told her two weeks ago? She said that someone will pick it up for her so your welcome!“ the doctor said and bowed. “Don't smoke anymore and watch your diet. And please tell her to contact her doctor regulary. I wish you all the best!“

“Thank you!“ Keigo said. He was speechless after that diagnosis. But he had no time to think about it.

He went back to his house and took the elevator down to the parking garage. There he entered his car and drove as fast as possible to the dubbing studio in Sakuragaoka-cho, a district of Shibuya near the station. There he parked his car and went inside to the welcome desk.

“Fukushima-san is requested to contact Studio B! Fukushima-san, please contact Studio B! Thank you!“ the voice of the receptionist echoed thew the building. His microphone was still one when Keigo arrived in front of him.

“Hi! Did Akira left something for me?“ he asked full of hope.

“Yeah... and?“ the man asked still talking threw the microphone so that his voice was still comming out off the speakers. “No, she didn't! Forget that stupid jinx man!“

Keigo sighed. Than he realised the note with the phone-numbers. One of them was his. It was definetly her handwriting. So she called someone else, too. Keigo grabled the note as fast as he could and stole the note. “Switch of your microphone!“

Keigo left. The receptionist was mad and shouted threw the microphone. “HEY, did you stole my note?! Hey... HEY! Give it back!!!“

Keigo closed the door to the corridor to escape the voice of the receptionist that echoed threw the whole building. The people already gazed. He entered one of the rooms, put off his jacket and greet his producer. He was relieved, but still very mad on him for beeing so late.

“Hi! I'm so sorry!“ Keigo said when he reached the little group in the dark room.

“Awww... Finally you are here!“ the producer said with a mad sound in his voice and handed Keigo a pair of headphones. „This came in today! It has to be dubbed today! It's just a short commercial!“

Keigo put on the headphones. Next to the producer, there where a unknown man and an unknown woman in the room. The commerical start to appear on the screen in front of them. Keigo saw immediatelly that it was a spot for TV. Filmed in Korea or somewhere else. They dub it for the Japanese TV-viewers. That was cheaper to film it in Japan with Japanese actors.

The commercial start with a marriage in a church. Together they stand around the microphone. The camera went closer to the priest.

“Today, we came here together, because these two want to enter the holy bond of marriage.“ the producer spoke. He was the priest.

The unknown man made a loud theatrical cry. He was the mother of the bride in the background.

“Do you want...“ the producer continued. “...to take this woman to your wife. So answer with... I do!“

“I do!“ Keigo said friendly. He was the bridegroom.

“And do you, my daughter, want to take this man as your husband so answer with: I do!“

“Yes, I do!“ the woman, that dubbed the bride, said. Her voice was warm and friendly.

On the screen, the priest went closer to the bridegroom. „But remember one thing my son...“

“And what?“ Keigo asked nervously, as it stood in the script.

“There is sin in every marriage. But when you sin...“ the priest handed a condome to the couple. „...sin safely!“

The screen became black. The scene was over.

“Okay, thank you!“ the producer said and everyone took off the headphones. “That was everything. The post-production does the rest!“

“What was that?“ Keigo asked mad smashed the headphones on the desk in front of him.

“That's our job! Don't be so mad! You should be happy that I still have work for you.“ the producer moaned and send the others out of the room. With a handsighn he told the sound engineer to switch off all microphones, so nobody could listen to them. The subject of the conversation was very important.

“Why? Is it because of that what what was in the newspaper yesterday. Or is it because of that what they discuss in the talk-shows? I already told you that I have nothing to do with that.“ Keigo explained. It was one of this moments he talked like in school-days. Fast, loud and shrill.

“Don't explain that to me! Tell that to the press!“

“I already told the press, that I won't tell them anything!“ Keigo said with waving arms. “Because I'm in the hell not involved in that!“

The producer put on a cigarette and offered Keigo one while listening. “Keigo, how long do we know each other? Six years?

“Seven!“ Keigo corrected and took a cigarette from his producers box.

“Seven, okay! Keigo I realised that you are a very... difficult character. Don't take it the wrong way but you are shrill, obtrusive, brash and overreact all times. But... you are a great voice-actor and a good actor. Loosing you would be a great loss. But you have to be happy that they didn't arrest you yet. So I beg you fix up that...“

“I already told you that I have nothing to fix!“ Keigo murmured and turned away to stare on the black screen while smoking. Now he talked quieter and more like an adult. “I told them everything what I can. The thing makes me worried. I have no clue what's comming next.“

Keigo was worried and sad. His producer saw that Keigo was on the verge. „So... I wish you good luck, Keigo. You know, when the situation gets worse... We can't help you! So, we have to go on...“

The producer prepared everthing for the real dubbing. Keigo put off his cigarette and went back to the desk. The screen turned on again when Keigo put on his headphones again and prepared for his part.

It was the same scene as today morning. An American couple, that sat in a dark restaurant on a table. The man, a shy nerd and the woman a domineering beast that threathed all man like waste. Keigo heard the theme. Soft and calming guitar-sounds. Keigo crossed his armes and stared emotionless on the screen. The producer settled down on a couch behind him and watched everything observantly.

“Give me just one reason to believe you!“ he heard his girlfriends voice.

Keigo knew that they had to be here together to dub the scene. But he just continued, he didn't want to think about it.

„Because I did everything for you. I fulfilled every of your wishes. I gave you everything. Without any word from you!“ Keigo spoke quietly, but very mad into the microphone.

“So, if it's true... tell me that you love me!“

“I told you so many times, but okay: I love you!“ Keigos face start to twitch. He felt like he is the man in this movie. Althoug he just borrowed him his voice.

“Tell me, that you love me so much that you have died for me! That I am so important for you!“

„I would have died for you. Yeah. You are so important for me that I have died for you. No matter how!“ Keigo became choppy. Not just because the script prescribed it and the actor in the movie played it that way. In truth his heart was rushing.

“You see, that is not so difficult!“

The script prescribed that Keigo had to make a loud and angry wheeze, while the man in the movie grabs the bottle and smashes it to the ground. But for Keigo it was too much: He fell down unconcious. The alcohol and the pills caused a short circulatory collapse. Everything went black. The next thing Keigo remembered was his producer standing over him worried.

“OH MY GOSH... Keigo, are you okay?“ the man said when Keigo woke up. “Shall I call an doctor?“

“No, I'm okay!“ Keigo said and stood up to leave the room. He hoped that his producer didn't smell the alcohol. “I... Just need a moment. I'm... in the restroom...“

When he was in the corridor he start to cry. He realized: He was the American in the movie and his girlfriend was the mendacious bitch. He was the stupid again. The stupid who gave everything and lost all.

In the mens restroom he poured cold water over his face and tried to calm down. It was over. But he had to move on...

The time passed. The first people left to go home when Keigo was standing on the welcome-desk and wrote the foregin phone-number on a note. The receptionist had left to get a a coffee for himself and came back to try to take away the note from Keigo again. But Keigo was faster, and pulled away his hand before. When he finished his own note, he gave the note back and turned to the receptionist.

“You are strange, today!“ the man murmured.

“I need to call this number!“ Keigo said.

Keigo felt that the people gazed at him. They all knew the news from the gossip press. But Keigo didn't mind... there where other things he had to check now. 

“Than just call it!“ the man said and handed Keigo the telephone from the desk.

Keigo put the horn from the reciever and called the nummer. After just a second someone picked up.

“Hello?!“ the male voice said. It sound tired and mad.

“Ehm... Hello!“ Keigo said friendly. “Who's speaking?“

“Mind your own business!“ the man on the other side of the line said angrily.

The man was in his own litte, dirty apartment in a run-down tenement, somewhere in the north of Tokyo. The only window gave just view on the wall of the nearby building.

“I just need to check something! Did you recieved a call from...“

“Shut up you idiot! It does not concern you who calls me! So spare me with your annoying anime-voice and leave me alone!“ she man shouted and smashed the horn back on the phone. 

“Hello?... Hello?!“ Keigo said. But he could just hear that the man hang off. Keigo hang off and handed the phone back. That was strange. Who was that guy? Why he insulted him? Keigo left the building and went to his car. He wanted to stop all. So he drove to an office-building near his apartment. It was the office off his estate agent.

“Oh, hello Asano-san!“ the real estate broker greeted him friendly. He was the one who sold Keigo his luxury penthouse, and recieved a pretty commission from him. “How can I help you? Do you like the apartment?“

Keigo took a seat in front of the man's desk. “Hello... yes! Yes, I like the apartment very much. It's wonderful. It's just... that... There are some personal changes in my live, and I... To keep it short, I can't live there anymore. I want to move out. But I want to keep it so I can rent it out!“

“Oh, okay...“ the man said and wrote everything on a note. He didn't ask for a reason. He read the newspaper and could imagine. “That's no problem. I can arrange everything for you. The demand for aparments in your neighbourhood is very high.“

Keigo thanked him and left.

Meanwhile... on the other side of the Tokyo-bay, a young man left a train at Midori-station in the Chiba prefecture. When leaving the train he saw that he was wrong. All around him people pushed out of the train to go home. The shy young man apologized to everyone who pushed him down and allowed the mass of people to carry him along with them. Here he was definetely wrong.

The mass of people disappeared and finally he could 'walk' again. He was tired after this long, and senseless, journey. He missed the station, he had to use to leave the train, long ago and now he end up on the wrong side of the bay. He pulled out the note with the description of the route from Karakura to Minato and finally found a map. Now he was pretty sure that he was lost. But he had a job to to. An important one. And he was committed to fulfill it. But he had to admit that it was more difficult than he first thought.

On his note was a phone-number. He could try it. He had to. Because he had no clue how to go on further...


	3. Chapter 3

Keigo went into his car and drove home. Than he walked to a nearby building in his neighbourhood. Here between some brand new luxury buildings was the house, his girlfriend lived in. It was not as big as the others. Only 4 stores high, but very luxury and expensive. She lived in the penthouse, in the top floor. Months ago, he helped her to get this apartment and helped her moving in. Because that, he knew the house very well. While leaving the elevator, he met a man. Black hair, tired face and stubby body. Both men didn't recognize each other. But the foreigner saw that Keigo went to the apartment, he just came from...

Immediately he left the elevator and hid around the corner, watching Keigo ringing the doorbell and knocking on the door. Keigo waited a few seconds, but than he realized that nobody was at home. Keigo took a pen and a note-block and wrote down a message. The foreigener watched everything exactly and saw that Keigo left the message at the doorknob. When Keigo went to the elevator again he hid and came out when Keigo was gone. He took the message and read it.

“We have to talk! Please call me! I found out something we have to discuss! It's really important! - Keigo!“ the man read before he crumbled the note and took it with him.

Keigo went to a small bar on the other side of the street and ordered a drink. It was quiet. Many people where still at work so he had some piece. But just after he ordered his drink he saw the man from the elevator again. He left the building, and threw the message that Keigo wrote into a trash-bin. Keigo stood up an ran out...

“HEY! You have to pay for that!“ the barkeeper asked angrilly when he saw that Keigo left before paying the bill.

The foreigner entered a taxi and drove away before Keigo could talk to him. He winked to get another one and jumped in front of one to force it to stop. The driver was so scared that he made an emergency breaking to avoid a crash. Keigo went into the taxi and pointed on the other taxi. He wanted to know who this guy was. He wanted to know why he took away his message.

“Follow that Taxi!“

The driver was really surprised. “HEY! What's going on here? It's the first time that someone tells me to follow...“

“Just drive, please!“ Keigo moaned. “I'll explain it later!“

The driver just nooded and start to follow the other taxi across the city. Keigo leaned back and observed the other taxi threw the front window.

“Aren't you... Yes... You are! You are some kind of TV-star, aren't you?“

Keigo shruged.

“Yeah, you are... You are the brother of that subway-killer!“

Keigo would have liked to puke. That role was very embarrassing. From that day, the scandal began, it seemed to be the only thing the people refered him to. The taxi became slower and finally stoped in a run down residential area somewhere in the norht of Tokyo. Keigo asked where they were and wrote the adress on a note before he told the driver to drive him back.

Keigo arrived home relatively early. On the way home he bought some vegetables to have something to eat. He was tired and looked around. It was a shame that he had to move out. But he couldn't stay here. With all this memories. And if the scandal continues and he really looses his job he wouldn't be able to pay the advice payments at all. Allthough he already paid more than two-thrids of the purchase price when he moved in. Keigo left the vegetables on the kitchen-table and went to his answering-mashine.

“You have... ten... new... messages!“ the female voice of the answering-mashine said.

He skipped the messages from the morning. It was his producer, who wanted to know where he was. The first new message was from the real-estate-office.

“Hello, Asano-san! This is Takagi from Tokyo-Estates speaking! We already have some applicants for your apartment. We would like to send the first ones for a viewing tomorrow, if it's possible...“

Keigo nooded. That guy worked fast. The next message was very surprisingly. Keigo went closer to the mashine and listened.

“Hello?!... Helllllooooooooo... Asano-san? Is this a mashine that picks up when nobody picks up the phone?“ a shy, young voice asked uneasily. “You don't know me... My name is Hanataro Yamada. I have an important message for you... Hello... Are you there?“

Keigo had the strange feeling that this guy had no clue how a telephone works. Nor an answering-mashine.

“I'm at a train-station in a town called Midori...“ Keigo didn't know where Midori was. He just knew that it had to be somewhere in the Chiba-prefecture, on the other side of the bay. “... I have an very important message for you from Ichigo Kuro...“

Keigo pressed the delete-button before he could hear more. He didn't want to know what was going on. He didn't worry about Karakura anymore. Nor he didn't want to accomodate any Shinigami ever again. He got enough trouble in the past. 

He settled down on his couch tired and leaned back. He tired to have another thoughs. Will his move be very expensive? Will the stuido fire him? Shall he move back to Naruki? The though dazed him. Tired he put his hands into his pockets and found his notes. The one with the adress and the other one with the foreign phone-number. Keigo became curious and took the phone-book from the shelv to look for the adress.

“Okay... Setagaya... forth crome... number, number, number... two, three... four...“ than he found the adress. The number he called today, belonged to the guy he just observed. “That's unbelivable. It's the guy who insulted me!“

Angrilly, Keigo threw the phone-book on the ground...

Meanwhile, Hanataro Yamada finally found out where he was. After hours of searching he finally realized that the was on the wrong side of the Tokyo-bay. The women from the information-desk avoid to laugh and just became red while she explained the awkward Shinigami that he had to leave at Hamamatsucho station. Embarrassed he bought the ticket for the long and arduous journey back to the city... he had to talk to Keigo...

That one walked up and down in his penthouse. Waiting for a call from his girlfriend. But the phone just didn't want to ring. 

„Awww... Just call you stupid kind of lady!“ he grumbled. But it didn't helped. He tried it so many times, but she never picked up.

Outside, he watched the sunset turning the sky into a deep red and orange. The lights of the Tokyo-Tower reflected in a nearby building. Keigo went out on his terrace and looked around. He loved the view. Especially on this daytime. The sparkling lights of the city calmed him down. That was the thing he would miss most when he moves out. Keigo went back inside and settled down on his couch again to watch some TV. He stopped zapping when he saw that horrible commerical he filmed...

“Hi! I'm the brother of the subway-killer!“ Keigo said in the commercial frienly into the camera. And lift up a white shirt full of blood. „Look at this mess. And that allways when I am on duty with the laundry... My family is so sick! But fortunately I have something that helps...“

The picture cut to a door, someone knocked angrilly. Keigo opened and two police-officers in uniform stormed in. “Where is the shirt, your brother weared yesterday?“ one of the officers asked mad.

The camera went closer to Keigo: “I'll show you!“

Keigo took a clean and white shirt out of the washing-mashine and presented it into the camera. “So, you see...“

The police officers grabled it and investigated it. “No trace of blood. And this wonderfull fresh smell!“

The picture changed to Keigo again who hold a bottle of liquid detergent and presented it happily: “Now also as liquid. The new...“

Keigo switched the channel. He could not bear it. It was embarrassing to make a so stuipid commercial. He made various commercials. Funny ones, but also serious beneficent ones. But this one was definetely the worst. Keigo asked himself, what drugs he took when the sighned the contract when he saw that he changed to the news.

The animated clock on the TV-screen was slowly ticking to 9 o'clock before a melody sound up. The theme of the evening news programe. The picture changed to the stuido where the newsanouncer greeted the viewers smiling. Keigo knew her privately. Her studio was in the same building as his ones. She sometimes warned him when there where news about him.

“It's 9 pm! Here are the news on Tokyo-One! Good evening!“ she greeted before the camera went back a bit so that there was enough space in the background to show the pictures. Keigo hoped that they don't have any news about him. “In one of the biggest police raids in the history, the police arrested some presumed members of a terrorists-cell in various towns in the prefectures Tokyo and Chiba...“

Keigo was relieved. They didn't report something about him.

“...confirmed by a police spokesperson one hour ago. The four arrested men a presumed members of a North-Korean-terrorists-cell, who came to Japan approximetly two months ago...“

In the west of the the Tokyo-Prefecture, Yuzu Kurosaki sat on the carpet in front of her own TV in her small apartment and listened to the news distraught.

“... the police is pretty sure that they planed a big terrorism-attack in our contry...“

Yuzu stood up crying and looked around in the small apartment. It was awful. If that's true, she'll be dead. While the news showed some pictures of the arrested men, Yuzu hurried threw the apartment and put everything that didn't belong to her into a plasic-bag.

“...For ascertainment reasons, the police haven't published any more informations by now. But it's pretty sure that they might have com...“ Yuzu switched off the TV and stormed out of the apartment. Carrying two full plastic-bags and her own purse with some clouthes...

In the darkness she climbed up a steep hill. Behind her, the lights of Karakura and far away the lights of the rest of Tokyo light up the dark sky. She looked around, hoping that nobody sees her while she arrived on at wire-mesh-fence. She placed her purse on the ground and than she threw the both plastic bags over the fence... On the other side of the fence was the landfill of Karakura...

Meanwhile, Keigo spend hours of waiting for a call. His voice came out of the TV, when an episode of a very popular anime was running. Keigo listened to his voice, one of the main characters used. He remembered that day they dubbed this episode. It was pretty funny. As a 'Seiyu' he found his dream job. It was good that his 'annoying voice', his sister always said was good for something. That he became an TV-actor too was just a random. He never imagined to be sucessful and popular. He dubbed hundred of anime-episodes. Made comercials and was a minor character in a popular crime series. He also had two little scenes in a theatrical movie, that was going to be in cinema in a few months. But now everything start to collapse. Keigo realized that he had to leave and go out for a walk. It would help. Sitting here and wait was no solution.

Keigo put his jacket on and prepared to leave when the phone start to rang. Finally, he thaught? He was excited and ran back to the phone to pick up. He didn't looked on the screen to see that the call came from Karakura...

“Hello!“

“Hello, Keigo?“ it was Yuzu. She was in a phone booth near the landfill.

“What? Who's there?“

“It's me, Yuzu!“

“Yuzu, who?“ after the question, Keigo remembered that there was just one Yuzu he knew.

“Yuzu Kurosaki!“ she was very agitated and her voice was full of fear. “Keigo, I'm in trouble!“

„“Yuzu? Ichigo's sister!“ Keigo realized. “What's going on? Does your brother has more surprises for me?“

“No, I made a terrible mistake! That has nothing to do with Ichigo... well... not at first...“

“Awww... So why you don't ask your brother? I have no time! You can't imagine what trouble I have now.“ Keigo explained mad. “I call you back!“

“Keigo, please I... Hello?... KEIGO!“ Yuzu could hear that Keigo hang off and start to cry.

Keigo left his apartment and entered the elevator. He could hear Yuzu calling him again when the doors closed...

The night was pleasant. All over around the Shiba-Park in Minato the sparkling lights of the city shivered. The bright shining Tokyo-Tower stood high over the few people that where still outside. In Naruki or Karakura he never could go out late at night without being attacked by a thiev or a bully. Keigo was like a magnet for these people. But here it was different. Here he was just one in the crowd. One more reason for him to not to return to his hometown. He settled down on a bench tired and watched the environment while he ignited a cigarette.

There where couples on romantic dates, buisinesspeople on the way to the bars and clubs after very long days and the others... the ghosts...

The ghost of a woman passed Keigo. Her chain of fate was hanging in front of her down to the ground. She cried loudly. And there was the ghost of a little boy, pounding angrilly in front of Keigo everytime he was here.

“I KNOW YOU CAN SEE ME! WHY YOU ARE IGNORING ME? HELLO! HEEEEELLLLOOOOO!!!“ the plus screamed.

Keigo ignored him, as he always did. He knew: The only reason, he was able to see ghosts, hollows and Shinigami was Ichigo! An ability he would have liked to do without. Keigo looked up. On the pagoda of the Zojo-ji-temple, one of Tokyo's most famous sights, he saw a Shinigami 'shunpoing' from roof to roof exremely fast, watching for hollows. For a short moment Keigo asked himself: Is he a familiar one to him. But he didn't want to think about it anymore and looked the surrounding buildings again. The Tokyo-Tower, the Prince Tower Hotel, the Zojo-ji-Temple... and than he saw it... it was just standing there. He didn't know that they still exist, but there was one: a phone booth.

Keigo became a bit restless. Maybe his girlfriend finally called. He could use the phone booth to check his answering mashine. He lost his smartphone several days ago. It just disappeared. So the only way to contact him was the landline in his apartment. Keigo stood up and went to the phone booth. 

“Hey, I'm still talking to you!“ the plus moaned. “HELLLLOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!“

Keigo needed a moment of silence. He entered the phone booth, took a coin from his pocket and dialed his number to check his mashine.

“Keigo, this is Yuzu again! Please, pick up the phone...“ Yuzu's voice cried on the tape.

“Aw... Yuzu... you start to annoy me...“ 

Keigo couldn't finish the sentence. A loud bang scared Keigo so much that he went down on his knees. The windows shattered and the roof of the phone booth was cut when something long and sharp hit it and cut the whole both into two halfs. Keigo opened his eyes when the noise was over and saw that it was a sword, that destroyed the phone booth. A Zanpakutou to be exactly. And it stopped just a few inches above his neck.

“Aww... DAMMED!“ a young male voice cursed.

Keigo looked up and saw the Shinigami from the temple standing outside the phone booth. His Zanpakutou was strucked in the phone and he had to pull hard to get it out. More glass shattered and the phone was ripped off and fell down in front of Keigo. Keigo looked on the Shinigami. It was a foreigner. He looked very young... a high-school-student maybe. But Keigo was pretty sure that he never met him before.

“Sorry! I thaught there was a hollow. I'm not so long in this business...“ the Shinigami said with a smile, but ashamed. He didn't know that Keigo could see and hear him.

“Did... you try to kill me?“ Keigo asked in shock.

“WOW...“ now the Shinigami was scared and moved back two steps. “You can see me?“

“What? NO... no, no, no... I don't see anything... I see absolutely nothing!“ Keigo said fast and loud while he left the destroyed phone booth and removed the broken glass from his hairs and his clouthes. Then he pointed on the both ghosts near the bench. “Look over there... Two pluses! I go and look for another phone, because I have to call someone... that's the thing you need a phone for...“

The Shinigami was distract for a moment and watched the both ghosts Keigo mentioned. When he turned back he saw Keigo running away, with his enhanced speed. “WOW... This guy is fast! Wait... ASANO?“

The Shinigami realized that he almost attacked the person he was looking for. He had a photo of Keigo with him. An old one, showing Keigo as an 17 years old. But he was pretty sure that he is the searched one.

“ASANO-SAN, PLEASE WAIT!“ the Shinigami shouted and ran after Keigo.

Keigo hold his ears and and hid between the trees. Running away from the ghosts and the Shinigami, who tried to decapitate him. He ran till he felt safe and finally fell on his knees. He never found out why he had enhanced speed. Maybe because of Ichigo, too? But that was not important now.

For the rest of the night Keigo walked threw the park dazed and in a state of shock, asking himself ever and ever again: “What I have done to deserve this?“


	4. Chapter 4

The sun already shined again when Keigo came back to his apartment. After hours of wandering around he was tired, hungry and felt dazed. The incident with the Shinigami was bad enough! Did he really try to kill him? Or was there really a Hollow on the top of the phone booth? But he didn't care. He was attacked to often that it didn't bother him.

Keigo went to the kitchen and saw that he didn't put the vegetables, he bought yesterday, into the refrigerator. Moaning the threw the whole bag into the almost empty fridge and went back to the living room to check his answering mashine which was filled with messages... all of them from Yuzu...

“You have... twenty... six... messages!“ the voice of the mashine forced Keigo to moan.

“Keigo! Are you there? Please, pick up the phone! I need your help...“ Keigo moaned and pressed the button for the next message. “... BEEP... This is Yuzu again. I know you are mad on Ichigo but... BEEP... Hello, it's me again! Keigo I... BEEP... KEIGO, I NEED YOUR HELP... BEEP... Keigo? KEIGOOOO... BEEP... Keigo, I'm on the train station and...“

Keigo switched off the answering mashine and went back into the kitchen. Angrilly he took the vegetables out of the fridge again and start to chop them. He had to eat something! When he cut his finger he woke up from his lethargy and start to scream and curse out all his anger...

It was Crap! His whole live was just crap! That was his only mind when he put the choped vegetables, some seasonings and some bread in a blender and pureed everything into a thick mush. He found the reciept in the Internet. A Spanish Gazpacho. His girlfriend liked this cold soup. It was easy and quick to do.

This was his breakfast: A sleeping-pill, a pill against headache and some morphine with some gulps from the blender. Keigo calmed down immedately when the morphine start to work and looked on the blender with a bright smile. He got an idea... A little 'farewell gift' for his girlfriend. He took the remaining drugs and threw them into the soup.

“Enjoy your meal!“ he murmured frustrated while he watched the pills slowly dissolving in the soup. „Oh my god! What do I do?“

Keigo realized that he couldn't do that. He could kill her with that. He took the soup and placed it in the refrigerator again: Out of sight, out of mind!

In the meantime, Yuzu Kurosaki left a train at Shibuya-station and hurried to the nearest exit. She weared a headscarf and sunglasses to hide her face. She looked around and felt lost. Alone in this big foreign city. Everything was different here. But she had no choice. He had to find him... She rushed away to the next subway entrace to took the next train to Minato...

Hanataro Yamada finally arrived his final destination at Hamamatsucho-station. After another irrigation (this time to Yokohama) he finaly arrived in Minato. Now he had to hope that Keigo was at home...

Keigo went to his walk-in wardrobe when he realized that the sleeping-pill wasn't working as well as he hoped. So now he could do what his girlfriend wanted: To pack her things into her stupid suitcase. So at least her things would be out.

He pulled out her wickedly expensive designer suitcase (he paid for) out of the wardrobe and kicked it into the bedroom where it rolled on the bed and smashed on it. Than he took as much as possible from the wardrobe and threw the clouthes on the bed. Some of the pieces where really expensive as they where also from famous labels. Keigo knew it: He paid them, too. Keigo thought about. Was it right to give her everything back or shall he throw everything into the trash-container. He paid for everything, so technically they belong to him. While Keigo was thinking he walked to his bedside table and took out a box of cigarettes. He had to smoke one...

“Nobody tells me to stop smoking!“ he murmured while he ignited a match to turn on his cigarette. “What does this mountebank know? I'm not the one who shold stop smoking!“

Keigo was totally dazed by the drugs he took, so he didn't realized that didn't turn off the match correctly. It was still burning when it land on the other matches that fell out of the box when Keigo threw them on the bed. Slowly, the flame became bigger and bigger when the matches ignited the bedsheet and the dresses...

Keigo wasn't realizing what was going on, when he went to the living room and picked up a plastic-flowler, his girlfriend bought him as a present once, when he realized that terrible stench in the air. It smelled like something was burning. He went back to his bedroom sottish, where his mattress and his girlfriend's dresses burned...

The only thing he saw was a muzzy, yellow-orange shining when he stood in front of the fire stunned. It was so hot already, that the plastic-flower in his hand start to melt. Keigo bit on his lip and asked himself: What's going on here... But when he took a deep breath and start to cough by the smoke he woke up from his trance... Now he finally realized that his bed was on fire...

Keigo throwed the cigarette into the fire and ran out to get the water hose from the terrace...

Not far away, Yuzu Kurosaki left the subway-station and ran over the square near Shiba-Park. She hoped that the adress was right. Meanwhile, Hanataro Yamada left the other station too and went to the same adress. He saw smoke comming out of the building.

The fire was extinguished quickly. Just the matress and the dresses were burnt, but the rest of the room was damaged. The carpets where wet, a big black soot spot was on the roof and the wallpapers behind the bed where wet and damaged. Coughing, Keigo rolled up a damaged bedside rug and put it into the suitcase together with the burned leftovers of the clouthes in a trash bag.

“So... Here is your trash. You can have everything back...“ he said crying while he put some of his girlfriends horrible gifts into the suitcase. “Great gifts! Really! You get jewellery and I get ugly and dirty, 100 yen trash, made in North Korea.“

The whole apartment was full of stinking smoke. Keigo ripped of all windows, but his bedroom was still full of smoke. It would need days, or even weeks before the stench disappears. Keigo put some photos and some postcards into the suitcase. It was jam-full, so Keigo had to sit on it to close it. Everything that wouldn't fit in he will put into some plastic bags. He hold his head still coughing. He did it again! He was the stupid idiot again! The deadbeat, who almost burned down his own apartment. He tried to abadon this image... But he failed. And start to cry.

Keigo continued searching the drawers in his bedroom. Everything that reminds him on 'he knew who' had to get out. If it wasn't burned yet. He found an envelope filled with some old photos. Photos of him and his 'friends'. Keigo took out one of them. He remembered that evening. It was a photo of Keigo, sitting on the middle of a couch. Left and right next to him, Ichigo, Orihime, Tatsuki, Chad, Mizuiro and Ishida. Great friends, he thaught and teared off the picture.

“I hope you enjoy your time in Soul-Society!“ Keigo moaned and threw the both photo halves onto the burned mattress. He continued with other photos... till someone rang the doorbell...

Keigo stopped immediately when he heard that someone was standing in front of his door. The doorbell rang again, before the person start to knock loud and fast.

“Awww... F**k!“ he cursed. Maybe one of his neighbors smelled the smoke and called the fire-brigade. He hoped that it wasn't true and that he was ignored as always. He didn't want the fire-brigade in his apartment now. Quickly he cleaned up his face with the sleeve of his shirt and went to the door, still coughing. Maybe it was his girlfriend, who wanted to pick up her suitcase. He didn't want her to see him in this condition.

„YEAH, YEAH... I'M COMMING!“ Keigo screamed angrilly when the knocking became louder.

Keigo checked his face in a mirror and pulled his shirt straigt. Than he went to the door to open it... what a surprise... It was Yuzu!

“Yuzu?!“ Keigo was surprised. Ichigo's sister stood in front of his apartment. Her hairs were tousled, her face totally pale and she looked like she hasn't sleeped for days.

Both haven't seen each other for two years. She didn't change very much. Her hairs were longer and a bound together as a ponytail. 

“OH, Keigo... Finally I found you!“ she said feared and came in.

“Oh, please come in!“ Keigo murmured after Yuzu already entered and closed the door loudly. “Where you got my adress from?“

“Ichigo told me!“

“And who told it to Ichigo? I never did!“ Keigo asked angrier while Yuzu found the burned bedroom...

“What... What happend, here?“ she asked and pointed on the burned mattress.

“Nothing!“ Keigo moaned and went into the kitchen to look for his pills.

“Keigo, I tried to call you but...“ Yuzu said before the doorbell rang again and she start to scream.

“Great! I'm pretty sure that that is the fire brigade!“ Keigo said mad and went to the door again. Yuzu meanwhile hid behind one of the many plants and cried in fear. Keigo opened the door and start to moan: “Here is no fire!“

Hanataro Yamada was really surprised. Keigo saw that Hanataro was not the fire brigade and that he was sightly nervous.

“I don't buy anything!“ Keigo said and tried to close the door again.

Hanataro stepped in to prevent that Keigo could close the door: “Asano-san! Please! I'm looking for you for days!“

“I won't answer any questions!“ Keigo said. He thaught that Hanataro was a reporter from some kind of gossip magazine.

“No! Please! My name is Hanataro Yamada! Ichigo Kurosaki told me to...“

“WHAT?“ Yuzu screamed when she heared her brothers name. “Keigo, leave him in!“

Yuzu grabled Keigo's arm and pulled him away from the door. Hanataro finally entered and closed the door after him. “Kurosaki said you would be mad but...“

“LALALALA!“ Keigo sang and hold his ears. “I don't want to hear it!“

“Please, for two days I'm looking for you... I have to talk to you! It's really urgent!“

“Is it about my brother?“ Yuzu asked exited.

“Brother? You are... Yuzu? Yuzu Kurosaki?“ Hanataro asked inquisitively.

“Yes! Yes, I am! I just arrived, too. I'm in trouble!“

“WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?!“ Keigo screamed angrilly. “WHY I HAVE TO HANDLE THIS F.... MESS? WHAT DID YOU'RE BROTHER DID FOR ME IN EXCHANGE?“

“But... Keigo...“ Yuzu began but Keigo cut her off.

“SHUT UP!!!“ he continued. “I'M SICK OF IT! I HAVE ENOUGH TROUBLE OF MY OWN AND MANY OTHER PROBLEMS! I WON'T ACCOMODATE ANY MORE SHINIGAMI EVER AGAIN.

Keigo stormed to the door and opened.

“GET OUT!!!“

“But...“ Hanataro tried to say, but was cut off, too.

“GET OUT!!!“ Keigo screamed again. The whole building could hear it.

Keigo stopped screaming when the phone start to ring...

Exited the rushed to the phone, passing his uninvited guests and picked up. Maybe it was his girlfriend. He hoped so much. He had to talk to her. So he picked up hopefully.

“Hello!... Who?...“ Keigo was disappointed. It was not his girlfriend who called. “NO, I WOULD NOT LIKE TO BE PART OF YOUR PHONE SURVEY! YOU'RE BLOCKING MY LINE!“ Keigo screamed angrilly.

Full of anger, Keigo smashed the horn back on the reciever. Dazed from the pills and full of hate and anger he got a total black-out, took the phone, ripped out the cable from the connection socket and threw the phone as strong as possible threw the window. Yuzu and Hanataro yelped when the phone smashed threw the glass, shattered it and land in the hutch of Keigos animals, scaring them. Keigo stood there, both hands formed to fists and gazing on the big hole in the window.

Yuzu and Hanataro were both speechless. Ichigo always described Keigo as an always happy guy. But this Keigo... was rancourous, evil and a ticking time-bomb that was going to explode full of fury and anger.

“Asano-san...“ Hanataro asked carefully and quietly. “Do you feel better now?“

Keigo turned to gaze on his visitors with big eyes and shruged.

“Was it really necessary...“ he continued. “...to rip out the phone?“

“The phone!“ Keigo realized what just happend and he forgot his anger.

“Keigo?“ Yuzu began, but Keigo didn't react. He opened a drawler under the phone-desk to search something.

“NO!“ Keigo cried. “Oh, no... I ripped out the phone!“

“Keigo, please wait!“ Yuzu jelled, while Keigo found a business card from his phone-provider and ran out.

“I HAVE TO CALL THE SERVICE HOTLINE!“ Keigo screamed and left to use the public phone in the lobby.

“Asano-san, please!“ Hanataro jelled and followed him.

Yuzu was alone now. All around her was just chaos. She wanted to cry. She was also left behind. Keigo was the only one she could trust. But he seemed to be in trouble too. Carefully she opened the terrace door and stepped out on the wide roof terrace to pick up the phone from Keigo's hutch. His chicken surround it like thier food.

“Oh, the telephone!“ Yuzu whimpered and chased away the animals to pick up the phone and get it back on the table. When the doorbell rang again, she let it drop and was scared. She was afraid of her suspicion of who was at the door: “The police!“

In fear, Yuzu went closer to the door. The doorbell rang again. Than someone knocked. Yuzu closed the security chain and opened the door carefully. Maybe it was just a neighbor, who wanted to know why Keigo was screaming. When she opened the door a few inches, she saw that the person outside, weared a black kimono and carried a Zanpakutou with him...

“Asano-san?“ the Shinigami jelled.

With a loud scream Yuzu smashed the door close.

“Hey, can you see me, too?“ the Shinigami asked threw the closed door. “I need to talk to Asano-san! Is he at home?“

Carefully, Yuzu opened the door again to talk to the Shinigami. Unlike Hanataro, he was not in a Gigai and invisibile for everyone else. “Hello!“

“Hello!“ the Shinigami said. It was the same one, who almost decapitated Keigo last night. “I need to talk to Asano-san!“

“He is not at home!“

“May I come in? I have an important message for him! Please!“

Yuzu closed the door, opened the chain and let the Shinigami in. Curiously, he looked around in the big penthouse.

“Wow! Not bad! Kurosaki-san, told that his little friend is sucessful... but this is really nice...“

“K... Ku... rosaki!“ Yuzu stammered. “Like Ichigo Kurosaki?“

“You are... Yuzu? Right?“ the Shinigami asked excited. “Kurosaki-san's other sister! You're brother told me to come to you, too. But when I arrived yesterday evening, you already left...“

Yuzu shruged nervously and followed the Shinigami to the living area where he realized the broken window and the burnt bed in the other room.

“What happend here? A fire?“ he asked.

Yuzu shruged again and remained silent. The Shinigami went into the bedroom and found the torn photo in the leftovers of the matress. „“Kurosaki-san! Yes, I know this one! Kurosaki-san has the same photo! So I'm on the right place!“

“What do you want?“ Yuzu asked.

“Your brother has an important message for him!“ the Shinigami told.

“What, another one!“ Keigo said after he returned. Yuzu and the Shinigami turned to see Keigo standing in the door. Hanataro was right behind him. “What's going on here? Did Ichigo publish my adress in some kind of Soul-Society-Magazine?“

“Asano-san, nice to meet you!“ the Shinigami said and bowed. “I'm so sorry for what happend last night in the phone booth. I am not so long on missions in the world of the living. It's right what they told me about you: You look better in TV!“

“Thank you! If that was a compliment...“

“Yamada?“ the Shinigami recognized Hanataro immediately. He nooded. “So Kurosaki-san send you, too...“

Yuzu realized that she wasn't part of the conversation anymore. The Shinigami came to talk to Keigo and not with her. It looked like her own brother forgot her. Dissappointed and alone, she went back to the terrace in silence...

“...I tell you the last time: I don't wanna know what Ichigo want's to tell me! But you can tell him from me, that he at had should come at least by himself. And not send two... recruits or whoever you are...“ Keigo moaned and took away the leftovers of the photo to put them into the trash-bin.

“I'm member of the 12th company! Kurosaki-san send me because of my well knowledge of the world of the living. I remember my live before the Soul-Society...“ he told proud before he saw that Yuzu went outside and walked to the balustrade...

„Asano-san, Kurosaki-san is well aware that you are mad on him. He understands! You have every reason for it. Since that day he was exposed and everyone in the world knows about Shinigami and...“ Hanataro told.

The other Shinigami meanwhile saw that Yuzu stood in front of the balustrade and prayed...

“...after Kurosaki and his family fled to Soul Society, they evacuvated thier friends, too to avoid any problems for them. Than they realized that you didn't...“

“I left Karakura years ago because I couldn't live anymore with that. I left because I couldn't endure it anymore. My family, my 'so called friends'. Now I am a friend? In High-School I was just a nuisance for them... they let me feel it ever again...“

Outside, on the terrace, Yuzu finished her pray and climbed over a chair and over the balustrade. She foreign Shinigami was stunned...

“They talk in the press so much about the Shinigami. That it was Ichigos fault that Karakura was partly destroyed. And everyone believes that I knew everything because I was one of Ichigo's 'friends'. They gaze me because someone told the press that I am able to see ghosts and Shinigami... My live is turning upside down. Everything I reached is going to collapse. My girlfriend left me because I'm not good for her image...“ Keigo moaned, while Yuzu prayed another short pray and sat on the balustrade... ready to jump!

The Shinigami watched everything in fear. Yuzu went forward... and jumped!

“HEY, KUROSAKI'S SISTER JUMPED OFF THE TERRACCE!“ he screamed and pointed on the place Yuzu stood before.

Keigo and Hanataro looked outside... she was gone...


	5. Chapter 5

Yuzu Kurosaki was so desperate, that she really jumped of the roof-terrace in the 14th floor. It was all to much for her. She need help and didn't recieved any. But there was this short moment... This short moment Yuzu realized that she couldn't do it... and when she was able to grab the balustrade to hold herself. Hanging more than 150 feet over the ground, screaming in fear and horror...

Keigo, Hanataro and the other Shinigami ran out. Yuzu hold herself on the balustrade. She screamed. All three didn't think and grabled her arms to hold her and to pull her back. Yuzu's screaming became quieter when she got higher and Keigo could grab the belt of her skirt to pull her up and over the balustrade back on the terrace. The both Shinigami still hold her arms when she was back on the terrace and collapsed crying. The foreigner let her of but Hanataro still hold her arm while she collapsed and he tried to calm her down.

Everyone was shocked. Keigo looked down, the pavement 150 feet under them, maybe more, someone saw it. He couldn't believe it. This young, innocent person just tried to kill herself by jumping down here. But why?

“Oh, my gosh... are you okay?!“ Keigo asked, still shocked.

Yuzu nooded and continued crying.

„WHAT THE HELL DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING?“ Keigo screamed while she was accompained to a deck chair by the both Shinigami.

Yuzu continued crying louder: “I didn't want it! I have nothing to do with it! I'm innocent!“

“Yuzu, please...“ Keigo beged and tried to calm her.

“Can I do something?“ Hanataro asked.

„Yes, get her something to drink!“ Keigo said and send both Shinigami into the kitchen.

Both went inside while Keigo turned to Yuzu again.

“Are you injured? Shall I call an doctor?“

„N... No, No... I...“ she stammered. „Please, I'm innocent!“

“Yuzu, please tell me what you are talking about!“ Keigo asked before he remembered all her frantic messages on his answering mashine. “Okay, what's going on? What happend? Sorry that I didn't listen to you before...“

Hanataro was in the kitchen and filled some water into a glas.

“Kurosaki-san will freak out when he finds out what happend!“ Hanataro said.

“He told me to visit his sister!“ the other Shinigami explained. “But when I arrived in Karakura yesterday evening, she was not at home!“

“By the way, why Kurosaki send you, too?“ Hanataro asked curious.

“He said, he needs someone who knows pretty well about the world of the living. And because I remember my live before I died... he told me to contact his sister and Asano-san...“

Hanataro felt passed. Ichigo told him the same. Maybe Ichigo thaught that he will fail and send someone else. Hanataro avoid to say something and went outside to handle Yuzu the glass of water.

Yuzu took it thankfully and drunk it in one gulp. Keigo was unable to get anything out of her. But she seem to calm down slowly...

“I... just wanted to see my family again!“ she said crying.

„By commiting suicide?!“ Keigo asked shocked. “You will end up in the Rukongai, or however it is called, and you will be there alone and without any memory. This is no solution to get to your family. By the way... why they left you behind?“

Yuzu sobbed. “The... the... leaders of the Seretei... said... when the Shinigami and Ichigo where exposed to the rest of the world... that we should... wait. And look what happens. They thaught that the people will be able to understand...“

The three men listened attentive and sat around her. The whole 'Shinigami-Exist' story was the story of the year. Yuzu drunk the last drops from the glass and continued.

“... because I was not allways able... to see or feel ghosts, they thaught... that I won't feel any consequences. But now... I am able to see them, the ghosts, Shinigamis and Hollows.., pretty well...“

“Really? You're brother told me that you were not really able to the ghosts or Shinigami!“ the foreign Shinigami explained.

“... Well... for some time... I am!“ Yuzu stammered and became red. “When Ichigo, Orihime and Kazui were invited to Soul Society to flee from the mess, they took Karin, Chad, Tatsuki and Mizuiro with them to protect them.“

“Oh, yes... I'm aware of that!“ Keigo said slightly nervous. He was left behind and so he was the only one left the press could report about.

“Keigo, I swear... Ichigo wanted to take you with them.“ she explained. Keigo just answered with headshaking. “He doesn't know why you two alienated. He felt very bad because of that.“

“Who believes it?“

“Seriously! When you break up the contact Ichigo was really wondered. He understood that you just needed someone to talk and to spend time with. And that you had so many problems at home...“

Keigo became still. All this painful memories came back. Yuzu wanted to drink more but than she realized that her glass was empty. Keigo took it and handed it to the foreign Shinigami. “Get her something hard from the refrigerator!“

The Shinigami lift up and went inside while Yuzu continued. Keigo hoped that he got something strong for her to calm her down.

“Keigo, Ichigo was really exited when you became so sucessfull as a Seiyu. Everytime you dubbed one of this foreign-language films or an anime he went to the cinema. And he watched every episode of 'Crime-Lab-Tokyo' to look for your appearence. We weren't even able to switch the channel... He didn't know your adress so he didn't know how to find you when everyone was evacuvated to Soul Society. He thaught that you will be spared from the scandal.“

“Why I don't believe you?“ Keigo felt like they where not talking about the real Ichigo.

“But it is the truth...“

While they talked, the Shinigami went into the kitchen as they told him to get something from the refrigerator for Yuzu. Exept for some bottles of alcoholic drinks the refrigerator was almost empty. But there was the big jug full of Gazpacho he saw inside.

„Hmm... What's that?“ he murmured and took the jug to try some of the red soup. The unknown meal was pretty good: „Hmmmm... Tasty!“

Enthusiastically he took the jug out to drink more of it. He had no clue... what kind of drugs were inside...

On the terrace, Keigo, Yuzu and Hanataro were still discussing...

“Your brother was not really someone would call a good friend. I was already threatened just because I was talking to him... aww... let's talk about something different... So, your brother is the reason you tried to jump down 150 feet to kill yourself?“

“No... I made a mistake! A really terrible one!“ she said and start to cry again.

“What happend?“ Hanataro asked. “Your brother is really worried!“

“When... we lost the contact whyever... I didn't knew what to do now. The people gazed me and pointed with the finger on me... I... I became the town-witch. I couldn't even go out of the house without recieving any glares from other...“ Yuzu start to cry again. Keigo could imagine how she felt. He felt the same. Because of that he went outside just for work now and nothing else. „Well... Than, some days later I... met this guy.“

“Which guy?“ Keigo asked.

“He was a foreigner. From Korea. He doesn't know our language so I helped him and well... He was so nice. And so sympathetic. I could talk with him about my problems and... and the sex was so...“

“I think we can spare this part!“ Keigo said and became red. If Yuzu told him more, Ichigo would cut off his ears. “Okay... So what has this Korean guy to do with that? Oh my gosh... Did he abuse you?“

“No! No, he never beat me!“ Yuzu said and lowered her head. “It's just so that... I... When he had to leave the Hotel he asked me for a place to sleep. And he took three friends with him. All of them from Korea, too! I was surprised but I was happy to have some guest. You know I love cooking for others... but... than... I found... a gun in his belongings...“

“A gun?“ Keigo was shocked. “Why this guy had a gun with him? Wait a moment... Please tell me we are not talking about the four North-Korean-Terrorists the police arrested yesterday?“

Yuzu nooded and start to sob again... Keigo was horrified. Hanataro didn't understand everything.

“When I found out that he and his friends are... some kind of... you know, I wanted to go to the police But they threatened me and locked me up in my bedroom. The forced me to cook for them and let them sleep in my aparment. I couldn't run away. They would have killed me! I was a prisioner in my own apartment!“ Yuzu told with tears in her eyes. She remembered all the horrible things of that evening again. “The next day, they left very early. I didn't knew why. That was yesterday in the morning!“

“The news told that they have been arrested yesterday evening!“ Keigo remembered.

“Yes, when I saw it I got paniced. Maybe, they will tell the police that I let them in. Keigo they will arrest me and send me to prison for cooking for terrorists. I can't go to prison. I never did something wrong!“

Keigo hugged her after he heard the story and tried to calm down her. “Everthing will be fine! They can't blame you for anything! Terrorists are really case-hardened... They won't tell the police anything!“

“But... what if not?“ Yuzu asked sobbing.

“Hmm... well...“ Keigo tried to think about it. “Tell me... Do you know anything about thier plans?“

“No!“

“Do you know who was thier client?“

“No! I don't know anything!“

“That's good!“ Keigo explained. “It's good that you know nothing. What did you did after you saw the news?“

“I... I took... everything they forgot... in my apartment and dumped it on the landfill because... I was so afraid. And than I went to the next phone booth and called you because I left my smartphone in my apartment. In the Soul Society, Ichigo was able to find out your adress and the number of your landline phone. He told me them... shortly before we lost contact. I took the next train and went here as fast as I could... Because... I didn't knew... Where else to go!“

Keigo was so sorry for her. It was terrible what happend to her. She was such a nice person. Unlike her brother she was always happy when Keigo dropped by the Kurosaki's. He had to help her and couldn't leave her alone now. He was not that kind of person who leaves someone without help. And Yuzu was not his own sister...

“Maybe... she could take a lawyer?!“ Hanataro offered.

“Yeah... Yes, that's an good idea.“ Keigo said confident.

“I... I have no money to pay a lawyer!“ Yuzu cried.

“I get you one!“ Keigo said and thinked about. “What about... Toranosuke Mota?“

Yuzu roused when she heard that name and was really surprised. “What? The famous star attourney?“

“A star attourney? Is he so good?“ Hanataro asked.

“He is one of the best lawyers in Japan! He's also well known for his hate for North Korea and his work for victims of thier regime. Someone like him would help you better.“

“Would you really do that for me?“ Yuzu asked and cried again, this time happily.

“What can I say... I can't leave you alone with your problems!“ Keigo murmured.

“Oh, thank you...“ she said and hugged him. “After everything my brother did to you...“

“Forget it! Your brother safed my live so many times.“ Keigo moaned. He didn't want to think about it. “You should eat something! That will calm you down. I also think that your brother won't like it when you commit suicide in my aparment just to get to Soul Society.“

Yuzu stood up and followed him into the kitchen.

“I have no clue what I can offer you. I have nothing at...“ Keigo stoped when they found the foreign Shinigami sleeping on the kitchen table. “...home. Instead of spiked Spanish Vegetable-Soup!“

Keigo looked after the Shinigami. He sat there with open mouth on the chair, his head laying on the table with open mouth. He was 'alive', but in a very very deep sleep. He just took a few gulps from the Gazpacho, but it was enough to knock him out. Keigo and Hanataro tried to wake him up... without sucess.

“What happend to him?“ Yuzu asked.

Keigo saw the jug with the Gazpacho and put it back into the refrigerator. “He's okay! Let's take him out!“

Together with Hanataro, Keigo carried the sleeping Shinigami back on the terrace and placed him on the deck chair.

“What's going on with him?“ Hanataro asked and start to examine him.

“He just drank to much Gazpacho!“

“Gazpacho? What is that?“

“A Spanish vegetable-soup! My Ex loves it. I spiked it with some sleeping-pills and some sedatives to prank her. Well, now we know that the pills also work with Shinigami.“ Keigo explained and went back inside.

“Sleeping pills?“ Hanataro asked shocked. “What kind of sleeping pills?“

“I don't know! Something that contains morphine!“ Keigo jelled from inside.

“How many?“

“Who knows... Maybe twenty!“ Keigo jelled and came back with a towel for Yuzu. “Here, go and take a shower. I arrange everything with the lawyer!“

Yuzu sweept away a tear and smiled for the first time since she arrived. “Thank you!“

“And you come with me!“ Keigo said to Hanataro. “You're colleague will not run away. I want to ask you some questions!“

Keigo changed his clouthes in his walk-in wardrobe. Hanataro meanwhile, sat on an intact corner of the burned mattress and told Keigo everything he wanted to know, while Yuzu was in the bathroom.

“I met Kurosaki-san for the first time when he came to Soul Society for the first time to safe Kuchiki-san. I'm member of the fourth division!“

“Fourth division?!“ Keigo repeat while he buttoned up his shirt. “You are some kind of hospital-guys, right?“

“Yes! Our division is the weakest of all!“ he continued. “Everyone just laughs about us. Kurosaki told me to contact you to look how you are. He thaught that his sister is safe!“

“One more prove that Ichigo is not always right!“ Keigo moaned when he bind up his tie. “Keigo is so stubborn, I wonder about nothing anymore.“

“Kurosaki-san was the first one who trusted me. Well I thaught, till this guy from the twelth division appeared. Nobody takes me seriously. Even in my own company I sometimes feel like the biggest idiot...“

“I know how you feel. I feel the same my whole life!“ Keigo said when he realized that Hanataro seemed to be like a dead Shinigami version of him. Both were outsiders. When he left his wardrobe he stood in front of the Shinigami. “What do you say? Do I look seriously enough?“

“You look very good!“

“Good, I need to make a good impression. He is so busy, he chooses his cases by himself. I look what I can do.“

“It's really honorable from you, that you help Kurosaki-san!“

“Well as I already said, I can't leave her alone with this. And whatever her brother did, or which trouble he triggered to me... We're in the same boat! We are both left behind here in this world to our destiny. And Ichigo would be really mad if I even didn't try anything!“

Keigo prepared himself to go. He took some money for the taxi and took the business card of the lawyer. Several weeks ago, when his name appeared in the 'Shinigami-affair' for the first time, a colleague from the dubbing-studio handed it to him. Keigo went back to the living-area just when Yuzu came out of the bathroom. She weared his bathrobe and her hairs were wrapped into a towel.

“How are you?“ Keigo asked. Yuzu just nooded. “Okay... I'll be back later. You can stay here!“

“Is there something we can do?“ Hanataro asked.

“Well...“ Keigo murmured and lift up the broken phone from the table. “...You don't know how to repair a telephone?“

Hanataro just shruged and took the phone.

“Thank you! And keep an eye on Yuzu! Don't let her on the terrace again!“ Keigo said smiling while he put on his shoes and left his apartment.

Keigo thaught about Yuzu, while he was in the elevator. Why they lost contact? He brother would never leave her alone. When he finds out what happend... he was pretty sure: Ichigo would kill the terrorists by himself, ban them to hell, find them there and kill them again. But now Keigo had to look after her.

When he left the elevator and walked threw the lobby, the housekeeper stopped him. She had her office next to the main entrace and seemed really upset.

“Asano-san... Is everything allright?“

Keigo was surprised. „Yeah! Everything is allright, Sakura-san! Why?“

“Well, some people from upstairs called me and told me that they smell smoke!“ she explained. Keigo bit on his tounge. He was sure, it was because he burned his bed. “And later I could hear a loud scream. The scream of a woman. I ran out to look what happend but I didn't see anything. Do you know something about it?“

“A screaming woman!“ Keigo knew that she talked about Yuzu, and decide to lie. “I'm sorry! I didn't realized anything!“

“Hmmm... That's strange! When I ran out to look what happend, this fell from the sky!“ she said and presented him Yuzu's hairy, she lost when she hang down from his balustrade.

“Oh, that belongs to me!“ Keigo said and became red. “I accidently dropped it. Thank you for picking it up!“ Keigo said and took it to put it into his pocket. “Excuse me... But I have a very important appointment! Good bye!“

“Good bye!“ the woman said and bowed while Keigo left and called for a taxi.

It was a very strange feeling. But it felt good to know that someone relied on him...


	6. Chapter 6

A taxi stopped in front of Keigo, who sat down on the back-seat at quickly as possible.

“What,... you again?!“ the taxi driver said. It was the same as yesterday. “There are almost 38 million people living in and around Tokyo, but I never had the same guest two times in two days.“

Keigo just smiled and told him the adress, in the financial district of Minato.

“May I ask you something?“ the taxi driver asked.

“Hmm...“ Keigo looked up and realized that the driver gazed on him over the rearview mirror.

“You are that guy from TV, aren't you?“

“Yes! Yes,... I am the brother of the subway-killer! But don't buy this stuff. We just used another shirt and I won't turn your clouthes cleaner.“

“Yes, but I don't ask because that! I mean, you are the Shinigami's friend, right?“

Keigo groaned: “Before you continue... I didn't knew, anything!“

It was a lie. Keigo knew everything. He let Ikkaku and Yumichika into his house and athough he never asked, he could imagine the most. When he found out about Ichigo's Shinigami-Live he wasn't surprised. Although he act like he was. He was not as stupid as everyone thaught...

“I just mean... when you are able to see spirits and Shinigami, why you...“

“I already told you that I don't know anything!“ Keigo said louder and angrier. He tried to not to cry.

“Do you cry?“ the driver asked when he saw that Keigo hold his eyes.

“NO!“ Keigo calmed down immediately. “No, I just have dry eyes! Do you have some eye drops?“

The driver shook his head and was surprised. The only thing he could offer was a handkerchief. Keigo was embarrased to cry in front of a foreigner, but the memories came up again...

In his apartment, Hanataro was repairing the phone, while Yuzu sat next to him and fold her clouthes. She had changed and calmed down a little bit.

“How I could get into such terrible trouble?“

“Your brother is really worried about you!“ Hanataro explained while he put the connected the cable back into the plug and placed the phone back on the table. He didn't knew it was right what he did. “When you lost the contact he paniced. He wanted to come personally. But it was too dangerous. The people would have recognized him.“

“I understand! It wasn't his fault! How did that happend? How they found out about our family secret?“

“Who knows! Our investigators try everything to find the traitor. Do you suspect someone Kurosaki-san?“

“You can call me Yuzu!“ Yuzu said with a nervous smile.

“Hanataro!“ he introduced himself and put the phone back. He took of the horn and could hear the beeping in the line. He sucessfully repaired the phone. “Oh, Asano-san's phone is working again. I repaired it!“

Satisfied, Hanataro put the horn back on the reciever and turned to Yuzu, who was totally absent again while folding her clouthes. Hanataro settled down next to her and she start to sob again.

“Awww... they will put me into prison! There I will be burned on the pyre like a witch...“ she cried and hold her face.

“No! No, your brother will never let that happen! And I mean... you didn't know that these people are terrorists.“

“I... didn't knew! That's right!“ Yuzu murmured. “So, I just...“

Yuzu became silent when she found a note in her pocket. Curious she opened the note, which was a hand-wrote message. Yuzu screamed when she realized that it was the target of the terrorists...

“What?“

“The... the... the...“

“What, what, what?“

“That... i... a... note...“ Yuzu stammered. She just found a personal note of her criminal affair. „F... Fr... Frooooooommmm... One of them. Look at this... 'aghhh'... that is today... evening... Emirati Airways 1312 from Haneda... an airplane!“

“What is a airplane?“ Hanataro asked, curious. In the Soul Society they didn't knew anything about airplanes.

“Yes,... today evening... In Haneda! It's... the flight to Dubai...“ she explained fearfully and continued reading. “They want to blame the American's...“

“The American's?“ Hanataro didn't knew what a American was. “Who are the American's?“

“The American's... They live in America!“ Yuzu explained.

“Where is that?“

“On the other side of the world! They are the enemys of the North Koreans!“

“And now they want to blame them for a crime they commit themself? That's unfair...“ Hanataro had no clue how serious the situation was.

Yuzu became paniced. Although they had beed arrested, it was possible that they had more members. Maybe a second team was going to fulfill the attack. In her mind, she saw horrible scenes. Of hundreds of deaths, burning airplanes... And she was fault... She jumped off the couch and grabled the phone.

“What do you do?“

“I have to warn them!“ she screamed after dialing the emergency-hotline.

“Emergency call center!“ a female voice said.

“Hello! Please listen to me: The North Koreans that have been arrested yesterday are going to blow up a plane to Dubai on Haneda Airport!“ Yuzu jelled franticly before she hold her mouth.

“What? Who's speaking?“ the woman in the phone asked but Yuzu hang off as fast as possible.

After this knee-jerk reaction she start to cry again. What did she did? Why she just drove to prison herself and register there? Hanataro tried calm down her. But she just cried more and more...

“Yuzu...“ Hanataro said but she cried louder. He tried everything to calm her down. “Yuzu, please!“

She start to scream. Now it was Hanataro who had a knee-jerk reaction. He grabled her arms, pulled them away from her face...and kissed her...

Yuzu stopped immediately. For the climpse of a second she forgot everything and became silent. Her whole body relaxed during the kiss. The thaught, that she liked it. Hanataro realized something, too. But it was more like his heart start to race. He felt hot... And in his mind he saw her brother... and his mad face... took off her immediately.

When Hanataro get off of Yuzu the kiss took not even a whole second. With big eyes she gazed him and was silent for a couple of seconds... than she start to to cry again... Hanataro wanted to cry, too.

“When Kurosaki-san finds out, he will decapitate me!“ was his only mind.

Keigo meanwhile, left the taxi when he reached his destination. He refused to tell the driver anything about the Shinigami, but he confessed to be able to see them. It was enough to turn the driver silent for the rest of the ride.

Keigo put on a pair off sunglasses and walked as inconspicuous as possible threw the mass of people on the plaza in front of the Tokyo Midtown. Toyko's highest building. Keigo looked up and was impressed. Everyone who had his office in this building was really sucessful. Such a sucessful star attourney could be only find in a office like this. Upset, but quietly he walked threw the wide, modern lobby of the building and asked for the lawyers office. The friendly woman from the information-desk told him to go to the 50th floor.

In the 50th floor Keigo left the elevator and walked threw the corridors. He went to the big glass-doors of the lawyers-office. There where many people in the office. Lawyers, secretarys, clients, a cleaner... everyone rushed around to do thier work. Nervously, Keigo went to the welcome desk and asked for Toranosuke Mota.

“I'm sorry, sir! Mota-san, is going to travel abroad today evening and told us to send everyone away.“ the woman told Keigo as friendly as possible.

„Oh, please. It's an emergency? It won't take long! Five minutes! Not more!“ Keigo said. “Could you ask him, please?“

“Hmm... Okay, but I can't promise you that it works!“ the woman said while she picked up the phone to call Mota's office. “What's your name?“

“Asano! Keigo Asano!“ Keigo said.

The woman looked on him with big eyes. Some people near him turned in his direction to gaze on him.

“That's the guy who knows the Shinigami?“ a man whispered to his wife next to him. He sat in an waiting area behind Keigo and looked on a photo of Keigo in a magazine.

It true, he looks better in TV!“ she whispered back when she compared the Live-Keigo with the Magazine-Keigo.

Keigo turned and looked on them angrilly to show them that he could hear them. Both became red and hid behind thier magazines...

The woman at the welcome desk talked with Mota's secretary and seemed to be sucessful. “You are lucky. Mota-san is in a meeting right now, but after that he he has a little bit time for you. You can wait in his office.“

“Thank you!“ Keigo said relieved and followed her threw the modern corridors, with it's glass walls and polished marble floors that where so reflecting that Keigo could see himself like in a mirror.

She opened the glass-door to an wide modern office, with wide windows and a fantastic view over Tokyo, the bay and the harbor. Keigo was even able to see Mt. Fuji far away.

“Please, take a seat! Mota-san will be here in a couple of minutes!“

Keigo thanked her and bowed before she left and settled down on one of the two chairs in front of the desk. The opulent office was full of expensive designer-furniture and valuable modern art. Keigo knew that this lawyer just had the best and most sensational cases in politics, economy and the world of the stars. Maybe he was wrong here. He was not a star at all. He was a celebrity, but not as famous as his most clients. And this guy was one of Japan's best lawyers. But Yuzu would need him.

Curiously he looked around and watched threw the windows. That guy was on top. Than he saw a colourful piece of paper on the desk. It catched Keigo's attention. Keigo lift up from his chair to take a climpse of it. It was a booking confirmation for a Emirati Airways flight.

“Hmm... Dubai! Not bad!“ Keigo murmured and sat down again. He remembered that his ex-girlfriend wanted to visit Dubai again.

Keigo frightened when the phone start to rang.

“Hello?!“ he jelled.

Nobody seem to notice the ringing phone. Threw the glass-walls he could see that the most people were to busy with thier own work. The phone didn't stoped to ring. Keigo risked a view on the display. He didn't knew why? His curiosity caused so many trouble in the past, so he disliked it. But he couldn't stop it... and was shocked... The number on the display... was his ex-girlfriends mobile number!

Keigo picked up the phone...

“Hey, sweetheart!“ she said with a surprisingly friendly voice. “I just wanted to tell you that I am so exited for our trip to Dubai today...“

“Akira!“ Keigo said shocked.

“KEIGO?!“ she screamed shocked when she realized that she talked to her ex boyfriend and hang off.

Keigo smashed the horn back and fell back on his chair in shock. That was horrible. And very disturbing for him. The lawyer, he tried to get for Yuzu, was the new boyfriend of his greedy ex. Immediately he looked on the booking confirmation again. Both were going to fly to Dubai today evening. First Class! Keigo sat down again and breathed deep. He got headache. He could imagine why she choose this lawyer as her new boyfriend. This guy had more money...

Keigo woke up from his dreams when he heard that someone opened the door. Keigo turned to see a big man with angular face, pale skin and thick brown hairs. Toranosuka looked better in TV or on pictures, too. With harsh view and raised attitude he walked threw his office. He didn't said any word till he finally sat down behind his desk. Keigo smiled abashed.

“So, this is the guy who feeds my ex girlfriend now.“ he thought.

“So, you are Asano-san. My secretary told me you have an important question!“ the lawyer said with a voice that let Keigo frighten up. “So... I listen! What's your problem?“

The lawyer could imagine. He knew that Keigo was the ex boyfriend of his newest love interest. 

“In TV he looks better!“ the lawyer thought.

Keigo was upset and start to wabble. “Well... It's...“

“I don't have time till new years eve!“ the lawyer said harsh.

Keigo calmed down again: “Calm down! This is not about this painted woman. It's all about Yuzu now!“ he said to himself in his minds and took a deep breath. Than he start to look into the eyes of the lawyer.

“Yes, sorry! The woman at the desk told me you want to travel abroad... I need a legal advice!“ Keigo said. “It's about a friend!“

“A friend?“ the lawyer asked. Now he was curious. Was it a special friend?

“Well, friend is a bit exaggerated? She is the sister of a former classmate. She went into troble indecently and is afraid of the consequences.

„What kind of trouble you are talking about?“ Mota asked and leaned back self-confident. His cold eyes scared Keigo.

Keigo thought about how to explain it: “Well... she... this friend... met a guy several weeks ago and invited her to her apartment. There she learned that he and his friends where members of some kind of... criminal gang.“

“So, your friend was involved in criminal activities?“

“No! She wanted to talk to the police. But these people, they are North Koreans, threatened her. She was afraid of her live and they locked her up in her apartment. Than they left and she fled.“

“But she didn't talk to the police by now?“

“No! She is totally distraught! She is too afraid, because she fears to be accused as thier accomplice.“ Keigo explained.

Mota looked on Keigo, unbelieving. “So, if your friend had realy contacts to North Korean criminals, there is no chance to avoid a prosecution for subsidy.“

“PLEASE WHAT?!“ Keigo asked shocked.

Mota start to grin spiteful. He didn't want to postpone his expensive luxury vacation in the United Arab Emirates because of his girlfriends ex-boyfriend and some kind of Shinigami-breed (he was pretty sure that the former classmate, Keigo was talking about, was Ichigo Kurosaki).

“So you friend, or whoever she is... didn't go to police yet everyone will believe that she was involved in thier plans and supported them.“

“That's not true!“ Keigo explained appalled. “She was hold as a prisoner in her own home...“

“Everyone can tell it.“ the lawyer moaned.

“But there is something we need to do?“

“Everything your friend can do now is go to police, to set herself and hope that the judge has a heart!“

“I can't belive it!“

“Or,... if we talk about the woman I think we are talking about, she shall ask her Shinigami-brother for help.“

“Ichigo is in...“ Keigo start till he bit on his tounge. He realized what the lawyer just said. „Please what?“

“So, we are really talking about Yuzu Kurosaki?!“ the lawyer murmured. “In this case I really can't do anything. It's controversial that this woman is a human...“

“OF COURSE SHE IS A HUMAN!“ Keigo shouted. “HOW DARE YOU TO TALK ABOUT HER THIS WAY?“

“Stop screaming! I'm not deaf! I mean it serious. We are talking about invisible creatures, that infiltrate our society in some kind of synthetic bodies to ban the souls of people to other dimensions...“

“When you say it, it sounds like it is a crime to send the soul of a dead one to afterlife. And we are talking about the daughter of the former captain of the tenth division. So she is some kind of aristocrat, or something else!“ Keigo remembered very well because Ichigo's dad told it him proudly, when he, Tatsuki and Mizuiro learned about Ichigo's Shinigami powers.

“Don't interrupt me! Tenth division? So... you told the press that you don't know anything... but you know about divisions. It seems you know more than you tell. This creatures are monsters and not else. No court in this world will think different...“

Keigo lift up from his chair and made a fist. The lawyer lift up too, to look into Keigo's eyes but he punched him as strong as possible. In this moment, he forgot himself. All his anger and his frustration of the last days and weeks seem to focus on this lawyer. He screamed in pain when Keigo hit his left eye and his cheek. Surprised, the lawyer fell down and land in his chair dazed. Keigo shaked his hand and left the office. He didn't want to hear more...

“Was Mota-san able to help you?“ the woman from the welcome-desk asked friendly when Keigo rushed out of the office.

“Oh, yes... I feel so much better now!“ Keigo said with an wide grin on his face and an extreme friendly voice.

Keigo went into the elevator and slowly realized what he just did. In fear he looked on his hand. It hurt terribly. And a bruise start to appear on it. Than he watched his mirror image in the elevator doors in front of him.

„Oh,... my... gosh... I am like my sister!“ Keigo cried and fell on his knees...

The memories came back... The problems in his family. His sisters outbursts he had to endure... Keigo took painkillers and sedatives regulary before he went to school. Maybe that was the reason he was always so shrill. So loud... and so annoying... But Keigo never care! He still doesn't. Now he need a pill. He took the little doze of pills from his jacket and took two or three... than he felt better...

He watched his reflection in front of him again. It looked like it was talking to him and called him a 'yunkie'.

When the doors opened again, Keigo stood up and left. He didn't want the people see him like this...


	7. Chapter 7

Keigo left the building distraught and tried to get a taxi. He could feel the people staring at him. He knew what they thought...

...He is able to see ghosts!... He knows why Karakura was destroyed!... These creatures in the black kimonos, why he can see them?...

Keigo went into a taxi and told his adress to the driver before handling a 5.000 yen bank note to the driver. “And please... Don't ask me anything about, you know what!“

The driver was surprised and took the money before he start to drive to Keigo's address. He didn't ask any question as Keigo wanted. But he wanted to ask Keigo about the Shinigami-affair. When Keigo left the taxi in front of his house, he saw the golden designer suitcase standing in front of the office of his housekeeper. Angrilly Keigo stormed to the office...

“SAKURA-SAN, WHO GOT THIS SUITCASE DOWN HERE?“ Keigo screamed loud and angrilly.

The housekeeper was sitting in her office and checked her make up in a little pocket mirror. She was so scared that the paint her cheek with her lipstick when Keigo shouted on her from behind. She shrieked and almost fell of her chair.

“Hey, why are you screaming?“ she asked scared and stood up. “A young man droped it here five minutes ago. He said a woman will pick it up soon...“

“What?“ Keigo asked and looked on the suitcase. “Was it a little black-haired shy guy? This size?“ the woman nooded. “Tell the woman, that if she wants her suitcase back, she has to pick it up upstairs in my apartment and look into my eyes when she does. After everything I did for this hussy it's the least she can do!!!“

Telling this words, Keigo grabled the suitcase and rolled it to the elevator. Irritated, the housekeeper looked after him and watched Keigo when he kicked it into the elevator.

“You have lipstick on your cheek!“ Keigo moaned before the doors closed and the housekeeper went back to her mirror to remove it.

Upstairs, in Keigo's penthouse, Hanataro found the envelope with the test-results Keigo got from the doctor yesterday. Curiously he opened it. As a member of the fourth division he was interested in everything medical. He took out the results and read them overwhelmed...

“...that we came to the final result...“ Hanataro read before he became speechless. “...OH... WOW!“

When the door opened with a loud bang, Hanataro put the results back into the envelope and placed it back in the shelv where he found it.

“SHE CALLED? DIDN'T SHE?“ Keigo yelled angrilly and smashed the suitcase down on the floor.

Hanataro looked at him and nooded. “Yes! Around 10 minutes ago!“

“And what did she said?“ Keigo asked mad.

“Well... She asked for her suitcase. She said she is your girlfriend!“

“SO, NOW I AM HER BOYFRIEND AGAIN?!“ he continued screaming and opened the suitcase to put some things from the shelv into it. “This ungrateful broad just don't want to meet me. No! If she wants the suitcase, I paid for, she has to meet me personally and look into my eyes!“

Angrilly Keigo closed the suitcase again and put it back next to the entrace. Together with some plastic-bags with some of his ex-girlfriend's clouthes.

“She called... So it means you repaired my phone?!“ Keigo realized and calmed down. “Thank you!“

“You're welcome! What did the lawyer say?“

Keigo groaned and became red. He was afraid to tell the truth, especially to Yuzu. „Ehm... Unfortunately, not so good! He won't do it!“

“Why?“

“I don't know!“ Keigo lied. He couldn't say that the lawyer refused because he punched him into the face. “But I can't tell it to Yuzu! How is she?“

In that moment, Yuzu came out of the kitchen. She weared one of his girlfriends expensive dresses. She was showered and looked much better than before.

“Hey, excuse me but I needed something fresh to put on!“ she said and became red when she pointed on the short black dress she was wearing. “I found this one in your wardrobe and...

“Don't worry about!“ Keigo interrupted her. “You know. You can have it! It's yours! You look wonderful in it!“

“Really? But... I thought it belongs to your girlfriend?“ Yuzu asked.

“EX-GIRLFRIEND! She is my 'EX'! Don't worry about it! I paid it! So I can decide who get it! And I decide, it's yours!“

“Oh, thank you!“ Yuzu said and settled down next to Keigo on the couch. “What did the lawyer say? Do I have to go to prison?“

“No, you don't!“ Keigo murmured and thought about what to tell her now while he handed her the hairy back, she lost during her suicide-attempt. “He... refered me to a colleauge, who is an expert in this field. But before, it would be better to leave the city for some time...“

“Leave the city?“ Yuzu asked while she bind up her hairs to a ponytail again.

“Yes...“ Keigo didn't know what he said, but it was the only idea he had. “...we get some distance from all the stress and can think about how we go on. I need some distance from this city, too. I have a car... There is a nice little mountain-hotel near the Fujijama. I lived there when I was screening for a TV-movie. Pretty nice there, and very peaceful...“

“Oh, that sounds great. But... It would look like I am... flee?“

“No, it's not a escape! It's more like a 'short-vacation'!“ Keigo explained. “Come on... I just pour my plants and feed my animals before we go!“

“Just one thing...“ Yuzu continued while Keigo went outside. He stopped and turned to look at her. “...it seems... I came in a really bad moment. You have own problems and now I...“

“Yuzu, it's okay! Why are you sorry? Just because my greedy girlfriend left me, my producer threats to fire me and I almost burned down my apartment? Don't worry. You have nothing to do with that! That's all my own fault!“

“Why?“ she asked wondered.

“I was never brave enough to ask your brother what was going on. It was really strange when I finally leared the full truth of your brother beeing a Shinigami. But I accept it. It thought it was pretty cool. Well... the people don't... but it will calm down. So, I go and pour my jungle...“

Yuzu nooded and followed Keigo outside to help him. When they were gone Hanataro carefully took the test-results again to read it again...

Outside, Yuzu helped Keigo to unravel the garden hose when Hanataro came out and bowed in front of Keigo.

“Oh, Asano-san... do you want to talk about it?“

“What?“ Keigo was confused and didn't know what he was talking about. “Talk about what? We just travel away! You can tell Ichigo that his sister is in trouble and wait here till your colleague wakes up. Come on, you and Yuzu could feed my chicken... I pour the plants...“

Keigo send them away to talk to his plants undisturbed while he sprinkled them with the hose. Keigo's wide terrace was full of various big plants. Keigo loved his plants because everytime he saw them he knew that he has a reason to stand up and pour them.

“Yeah... You are so thirsty. What you would do without me?...“ Keigo said while poured one plant after the other. “...You are the proof that Arisawa was wrong: I am able to care for a plant. So green and so healthy... You appreciate what I do for you...“

Inside the hutch Yuzu filled some water into a bowl while Hanataro filled the feed into another bowl.

“Asano-san is talking to his plants?“ Hanataro asked.

“Yes, some people do that...“ Yuzu murmured and turned away from him. She was ashamed.

“Ehm... Kurosaki-san... ehm... Yuzu... because of that kiss...?“

“What? Yuzu asked and became red. “Just because... you surprised me and kissed me without my allowance? Do you regret it?“

“I...ehm... I don't know. Kuroskai-san will kill me when he finds out. But...“

“But?“ Yuzu became red again. Her voice failed and her heart start to rush. “Ehm... I won't tell anyone...“

Yuzu turned away again. Is she getting a crush on him, or something?

On the terrace, Keigo passed the sleeping Shinigami. “...now look on this guy. Human-Morphine is working for Shinigami, too.“ he murmured before he sprinkled the Shinigami with the hose shortly. The Shinigami didn't react. “Oh my gosh... How much did he drink from this soup?“

Keigo realized that the Shinigami will continue sleeping for a few hours and looked after his plants again...

In his own small shabby apartment, the man Keigo called yesterday, walked up and down. Eagerly he stared n the phone waiting for a call. He recently just read something in the Internet...

Angrilly he picked up the phone. He had to handle this mess by himself and decide to call him... this guy from TV...

Keigo came back to his apartment when Yuzu checked her face in the mirror. Ready for thier trip to the mountains.

“So, the baggage is in the car.“ Keigo said. “We are ready so far...“

Keigo was interrupted when the phone start to rang. Keigo went to the phone exited. He didn't know the number in the display.

“Hello?!“

“What you again?“ the man asked mad. “So it was you who called me!“

“Who are you? And what do you want from me?“ Keigo asked upset.

“I wanted to ask you why you draged in my girlfriend into this Shinigami-affair?“ the man asked angrier.

“ME? I never draged anyone into anything! And what do you mean with 'your girlfriend'? You are not the gut I just met in his office.“

“Please, what? What do you mean with that?“

Keigo groaned again: “I want to tell you, that this ungrateful jinx got a new guy. He is more sucessful and has more on his accounts... Face up to that!“

Keigo was not in the mood to talk to this stranger now. He was pretty sure that this guy was crazy. The foreigner became angrier.

“Well, after I read this article in the Internet, you seem to be the ungrateful one.“

“Internet?“

“Yes, on the web-site of the Tokyo-Celebrity-Star-Magazine. A big interview... with photos...“

“I can tell you that whatever the Tokyo-Celebrity-Star-Magazine is reporting is just a canard. You don't need to care about...“

“Really? So, we will see it!“

“Tell it to me personaly when you...“ Keigo began before he realized that the other guy hang off. „Eh... Hello? He just hang off!“

Keigo smashed the horn back and turned to Yuzu again.

“Who was that?“ she asked.

Keigo was going to say something before the phone rang again. Keigo went back to pick up the call.

“Hello!“

“ASANO!“ his producer screamed angrilly. “THIS IS AN ABSOLUTLY DISASTER!“

“What? Why are you screaming?“

“The reports in the Internet! Reporters besiege the studio. This news are not very encouraging.“ his producer complained.

“What? What kind of news are your talking about?“ Keigo asked while he took a tablet-computer from the shelv and opened the web-site of the magazine.

“I'm talking about photos, interviews and statements! Really incriminating stuff. The channel and the studio terminated your contract without notice!“

“What?“ Keigo asked in shock and dropped the tablet.

“Your contract is terminated!“ the man repeat. “And your agent just told me that you will be edit out from the movie you screened!“

“They edit me out?“ But... It's my first theatrical movie!“ Keigo said sad. “What's going on here?“

“Visit the web-side of the Toyko-Celebrity-Star and look by yourself. I can't anymore and have to fire you. You'll be out of all synchronizations. In the worst case, the picture-studio will take proceedings against you for the costs of the additional scenes with another actor. They insist on that... Keigo, I'm so sorry. But I told you handle this mess. And now you see what happend! Good luck! You will need it!“

“Why I will need luck?“ Keigo asked and picked up the tablet from the ground and googled himself. “What's goin...“

Keigo was shocked. He found it in the breaking news on the web-site of the gossip magazine. It was unbelivable.

“You see, what I am talking about?“

“Yes!“ Keigo said in shock.

“Now you know why can't take it anymore. You have to gone threw that by yourself! Good luck! Might the Shinigami be mercifully to your soul!“ his producer said before he hang off.

Keigo hang off and gazed on the display of his tablet...

It coudln't be true. Never! Where they got this photo. There was just one other copy... and he torn it today morning...

“Asano-san, what happend?“ Hanataro asked.

“I... I... lost my job!“ Keigo stammered disbelieving. “B... Because of that!“

Keigo turned around the tabled to show Yuzu and Hanataro the article. Both were surprised, shocked and also horrified.

“The 'Shinigami-Expert'! Nobody knows more about the unknown creatures as much as Japanese actor Keigo Asano!“ Yuzu read louldy and took the tablet to read the article. The photo of Keigo and the others on the couch was on top of it. “The acress... Wait! Your ex-girlfriend, send it to the press?“

“I'm going to kill her!“ Keigo hissed in anger. His mood was boiling over. His hands start to clench so hard that the torn up the upholstery of the armchair he was holding. “I can't believe that she told the press that I am some kind of Shinigami-Expert...“

Keigo snatched the tablet back from Yuzu and continued reading. The article told that Keigo already befriend the Shinigami when he was in pre-school. That he gave them shelter, supported them in thier missions and knew about the destruction of Karakura long before it happend...

“If I get her I will...“ Keigo threatened before he handed Yuzu the tablet again and looked for his pills.

“Asano-san, Kurosaki-san told me to take care that you don't take any drugs anymo...“

“NEITHER YOU, NOR ICHIGO GIVE ORDERS TO ME!“ Keigo screamed and took a pill before she threw the little doze into a mirror that shattered loudly when it was hit. Than he grabled the suitcase and the bags he prepared for his ex and left the apartment. “YOU WAIT HERE...“

Keigo smashed the door close so hard, that the walls vibrated. Yuzu found the damaged doze and read the description. She was shocked when she realized that Keigo was addicted to them... 

On the road in front of the main entrace, a very expensive convertible hold on a free parking-lot. Keigo's ex-girlfriend and her new lawyer-lover came to pick up her suitcase.

“I'll wait here! I don't want to meet this guy one more time!“ he said while he checked his face. The big bruise on his cheek was covered with a thick film of make-up. When he told her what happend she laughed about him.

“I don't believe you that he... was strong enough to cause that bruise. This guy isn't even strong enoug to carry his own body around...“ she said scornful and handed her make-up to him. “Take some more. I can still see the bruise. I don't want that you to disgrace me. I'll be back in a few minutes!“

She left the car self-confident and went to the main-entrace to enter the lobby. She exepted her suitcase in the housekeeper's office. Keigo, meanwhile waited for the elevator upstairs...


	8. Chapter 8

The housekeeper was really excited for her date today evening. Happily she was posing in her new jacket in front of a mirror when Keigo's ex-girlfriend came in, without knocking. She was so scared that she almost throw down the mirror...

“Where is my suitcase?“

“Please what?“ she asked back an turned around scared. “You can't just come in without knocking?“

“There should be a suitcase here! It's mine! Where is it?“ she asked cold.

“Oh, you are the lady with the suitcase... Asano-san took it back upstairs again!“

“What?!“

“Yes, he said that he wants you to pick it up upstairs personally. He was extremely enraged when he was just here!“

“Is he at home?“

“Yes, he should be!“

“So, why you can't tell him that I called to pick it up later and he brings it down?“

“But that would be a lie! I'm sorry but it's against my nature...“

“I don't care for your nature. I just don't want to meet him. Really... Today you can't even rely on the staff...“

The housekeeper was a bit offended when the women told her 'staff' like she was the queen of the house. She looked after he peevish. In her eyes, she looked cheaper than a whore. Keigo's ex went to a phone in the corner and dialed a number from a note.

“Hello, this is Asano speaking. I'm not at home so please leave a message!“ Keigo's answering mashine said before there was a loud beep.

In his apartment Yuzu and Hanataro where to afraid to pick up the phone after Keigo's outburst of rage. But they listened carefully...

“Keigo, are you there... I thought you are at home. What did you did with my suitcase?...“

Keigo left the elevator and stomped threw the lobby in anger. The housekeeper came out of her office curiously and watched Keigo heading for the main-entrace. She could see the rage in his face while he pulled the suitcase behind him. She understod him. With a girlfriend like her, you have to freak out some day. Because of that, she denied to tell him that this woman was standing just a few metres away.

“... You seem to be really mad? Why? I just told the truth to the press. I knew it from our first meeting that you are able to see ghosts...“

The lawyer hid in the footwell of his convertible in fear, when he saw Keigo leaving the building and heading for his direction. In his face he could see fury and anger. As quiet as possible the lawyer hid when Keigo passed his car and waved the heavy suitcase and the plastic bags into the building rubbish container next to his car...

“...so, I can't understand why you are so angry. Is it just because I told the press about you and your occult friends? You should be happy that the whole world knows you now! It's not my fault that they can't stand you now. Well, I leave. I have to say it was really nice with you. If the press wouldn't tear you apart it might be a...“

Keigo went back to the entrace after he disposed the 'trash' and went back into the elevator without looking around.

“...so it's over now. Definitely! And by the way, I know what you wanted to talk about with me. I will handle it by myself. You don't need to care about. Well,... Goodbye, Keigo!“

After these words, she hang off. When she looked threw the window she could see her new boyfriend, pulling her suitcase out of the container.

“What is she waiting for?“ he asked mad when he got the suitcase out and rolled it over to his car trunk.

His girlfriend just left the building when she stopped in fear. Far away, beetween all the pedestrians she could see him: Her other ex-boyfriend... And he was more unpredictable than Keigo. Silently she hid behind a pillar and hoped to not to be seen by him.

“What does she do there?“ the lawyer asked and shaked his head when he saw that she hid from something...

When Keigo entered his apartment again he could hear music playing from this stereo system... The memories came back!...

The beach-bar..., this evening they spend together with the whole crew from the set. They just screened this special episode for 'Crime-Lab-Tokyo' down in Okinawa. It was the evening she agreed to dance with him... It was a wonderful evening... Romance was in the air... It end with making love... and the result was that the doctor told him yesterday... It was thier song... This song was played that evening...

Keigo had to think about it. Everything was a lie. That she just played with him to find a way to tell the press above his connection to the Shinigami... Angrilly he went to the CD-player, put the disk out and throw it out through the broken window. Yuzu and Hanataro had to dodge from the flying disk and Yuzu shrieked...

The disk was shivering in the sunset when it glide down in a wide flight path and went down to hit the back of the lawyer's head. The lawyer, who was going to close the car trunk, groaned in pain when the disk hit him and he hold his head. Angrilly he lift of the disk from the ground and looked up to see Keigo's roof terrace.

“That was intention, wasn't it Asano? You'll regret that!“ he threatened and made a fist before he looked down to shout on his girlfriend now. “AKIRA, COME ON!“

She peeked first to be sure that her ex-boyfriend was gone before she left her hideout and went back to her new one. When she crossed the street, a police-car stopped in front of the entrace...

Together with Yuzu and Hanataro, Keigo listened to the lastest message on his mashine...

“...I will handle it by myself. You don't need to care about. Well,... Goodbye, Keigo!“ her words came out of the mashine before Keigo stopped it angrilly.

“I DON'T NEED TO CARE ABOUT?“ he screamed angrilly. “NO, NO... I GOT HER TO THE DOCTOR AND I DON'T NEED TO CARE ABOUT! IT'S MINE!!!“

“But, it means that she told the public about the Shinigami?“ Hanataro said after he understood the message. In fear he hold Keigo's arm when he start to go berserk again. “Asano-san, your girlfriend is...“

“SHE ISN'T MY GIRLFRIEND!“ Keigo yelled. “THAT WITCH SHOULD BE BURNED ON THE PYRE!“

“Keigo...“ Yuzu began while Keigo start to tear off the cables from the mashine.

“Asano-san, please...“ Hanataro took Keigo's arm again and tried to calm him down. “...that won't help...“

Keigo smashed the damaged mashine back on the table and took a deep breath. It looked like he calmed down. Silently he went outside on the terrace. Yuzu and Hanataro were relieved but than shocked when Keigo returned with the sleeping Shinigami's Zanpakutou. In fear they ran away when Keigo used the Zanpakutou to smash the answering mashine like a golfball...

The answering mashine shattered another window, hit the balustrade and flew down on the street. In his convertible the lawyer and Akira wanted to leave as fast as possible...

“Really, what did you liked on this crazy...“ the lawyer asked before Keigo's answering mashine crashed in front of them on the engine cowling. Both shrieked when the mashine was ripped into pieces and slipped of the car. Just the motherboard of the mashine was strucked in his wipers. Both were so scared that they remain silent for a moment. “I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!“

“Aww, please come on...“ his girlfriend said. She was shocked, too. But she wanted to leave as fast as possible.

“This crazy jerk will pay for that!“ the lawyer was mad and on the verge. Keigo just damaged his pretty, really expensive convertible.

“Tora, please... We will miss our flight...“ Akira murmured and forced him to drive away...

Upstairs, Keigo finally calmed down and looked on the Zanpakutou in his hand. He had a bright smile in his face.

“Hmm... Now I feel better! Good job, Zanpakutou!“ Keigo said and hold the sword in front of his face to talk to him. “Do you want to tell me your name?“

“Asano-san... was that really necessary?“ Hanataro asked when he picked up the phone from the ground. It was as broken as before. Keigo didn't pay attention to him and hold the Zanpakutou on his hear, trying to hear it's voice. “Asano-san...“

“Don't worry! I called the service hotline long ago!“ Keigo said and placed the Zanpakutou on the coffee-table to pet it. “You did a great job! Why you don't tell me your name?“

“Keigo, I think you are on the verge of a nervous breakdown. You broke another window and...“ Yuzu began and pointed on the broken windows before someone rang the doorbell. I fear she start to whimper: “AGHHHH... The police!“

Hanataro dropped the phone scared. Maybe they came because Yuzu called them not long ago. Keigo hid the Zanpakutou under the couch and told Yuzu to sit down while he got a board game from the shelv.

“Okay, stay calm... We play a little bit and act like nothing happend...“ Keigo said and handed the game to Yuzu so she could prepare it. “Hanataro, they can't see your comrade, right?“

“No, he is not in a Gigai!“ Hanataro explained when the doorbell rang again. “But I am and they will see me!“

“No problem! Hanataro, you open the door and let them in.“ Keigo said. “I think I have a plan...“

Everything had to be handled very fast now. The most important thing was to act like everything was allright. It would be difficult with all the damages in the apartment. Yuzu start to cry again. Keigo slipped with his fingers through his hairs and put on a smile. Hanataro just pulled his skirt straight and took a deep breath before he opened the door.

“Good evening!“ he said with a bright smile to the two men and the woman in the corridor.

Two police inspectors, one male and one female, wearing suits stood outside. The other man was the one who called Keigo just a few minutes ago. Keigo recognized him immediately. It was the same guy he met in front of his ex-girlfriend's apartment. He was the one who stole the note.

“Criminal Investigation Department of Tokyo!“ the male inspector said with a harsh voice and presented his badge. “We have some questions!“

“Please, come in! I help where ever I can...“ Keigo said cordially when Hanataro let them in. Tears ran down Yuzu's face.

Although she hold her mouth, everyone could hear her cry. Keigo tried to shut her but it was useless. Fortunately the two inspectors first looked on the damages in the apartment. So Keigo had a few moments to calm Yuzu down...

“Are you okay, ma'am?“ the female inspector asked when she realized that Yuzu cried.

“You have to excuse her!“ Keigo said and stood up to talk to the inspectors face to face. He needed a good lie now. “She is one of my colleagues. There was a death case in the family. She just lost her brother!“

“Oh, I'm so sorry! You have my condolence...“ the inspector said.

Now Yuzu could cry louder. Hanataro sat down next to her and tried to calm her down, too. They had to prevent that she exposes herself. Keigo turned back to the police.

“May I ask you what you want from me?“

“There is something we have to check.“ the male inspector explained while his colleague followed the other man into the half burned bedroom. There he found the torn photo of Keigo and the other and put it together. He saw that it showed Keigo together with Ichigo Kurosaki (also known as the Shinigami) and these other people.

“Oh my god... What happend here?“ the woman murmured before she saw the photo the man found. It was this group of people the whole world was talking about. “Hey, that's Ichigo Kurosaki! So he is really 'the Keigo Asano'...“

The man start to get angry. So he was really this freak from the newspaper. The inspector meanwhile was really excited. She was really interested in this Shinigami-Story. Her coleague meanwhile, looked on Keigo and crossed his arms before he start to tell him the accusation...

“We are here... because a woman called the emergency-hotline one hour ago. She told that North Korean terrorists planned an attack at Haneda Airport today evening.“

“And what I have to do with that?“ Keigo asked.

“We traced this call back. And it came from your landline!“ the inspector explained.

“One hour ago?“ Keigo asked. He didn't knew that Yuzu called and was pretty sure that it was a mistake. “That's impossible! I ripped out the phone today morning and broke it...“

Keigo already turned away when the men in his bedroom start to shout: “That's a lie! I just talked with someone here a few minutes ago...“

“Well... My phone never rang!“ Keigo lied before the doorbell rang again.

The female inspector went to the door and opened it. A man with a toolbox and workwear stood in the corridor and smiled. “Hello, I'm from the phone-provider. You called us today because your phone is broken?“

“Police!“ the woman said and stopped the man entering the apartment. “Show me your ID!“

“First show me your badge!“ the man replied a bit angrily.

The woman presented her badge while he put out his ID-card from his pocket and presented it, too. After that, she finally let him in. Keigo was happy and handed him the broken phone.

“OH... Hello! You're finally here!“ Keigo said and pointed on the place where the phone normally was. “Here is the phone! The connection cable got damaged, I think! I had a little accident...“

“It happend today in the morning?“ the male inspector asked.

“Yes, around 9 o'clock maybe! After that I immediately called the service from the phone in the lobby and left. I was out the whole day. I came back just five minutes ago. I invited my colleague and her friend...“ Keigo pointed on Yuzu and Hanataro. “...after I found out what happend to her brother.

“Hmmm... I don't believe you! So... where did you hide them?“ the foreigner asked and start to search Keigo's drawers.

“Hey, are you police, too? And if yes, you need a seach-warrant...“

“Sir, please stop!“ the inspector said and ordered the man to sit down on the couch, too. Yuzu slowly start to freak out and made the inspector curious. “And what is your name?“

Yuzu wanted to open her mouth just when she start to cry again. 

“Please, leave her alone inspector! You see, she is in a really bad condition now.“ Keigo said and took Yuzu's hand to direct her to the kitchen. He didn't want her to expose herself as Ichigo's sister in front of the police nor the girlfriend of one of the North Koreans. “Go and get something to dring! That will calm you down. Everything will be fine. Your brother is on a better place now!“

“Why I can't be there, too?“ she cried loudly and scared all others.

“Come on! Hanataro, keep an eye on her...“

“Do you have some of this red Gazpacho soup?“ Hanataro asked. He had a plan.

Keigo looked on the others and accepted: “Yes! Get a glass for everyone. May I offer you an glass of Gazpacho?“

“Gazpacho?“ the male inspector asked. “What is that?“

“Something really tasty!“ Keigo said and sat down on the armchair.

The both inspectors sat down next to the foreigner on the couch.

“So you claim that nobody was here the whole day?!“ the female inspector asked.

“Yes!“ Keigo answered. “Why? Do you don't believe me? My housekeeper will confirm my story...“

“No, we are not talking about that! It's just...“ the male inspector cleared his throat and pointed on the broken windows. “You have to admit that this is really weird...“

“Weird?!“ Keigo asked.

“Yes, weird!“ the inspector explained while his coleauge went outside on the terrace to look around. While she looked around she found the deck chair, the Shinigami was lying in.

The Shinigami slept deep and strong. So he didn't realized that a woman came closer to him. She didn't see him, but she could see that something had to be on the deck chair. The overlay was dented and the whole deck chair bend down like something was lying on it.

Carefully she went closer with her right hand to touch the chair. She didn't knew why, but she felt that there was something. And indeed she could feel something really strange when she touched the Shinigami. The Shinigami's energy flow threw her fingers. Her body start to tingle. She was pretty sure, there was a Shinigami on this chair. So it was true the press told about Keigo...

“Oh, don't sit down there. It's broken!“ Keigo yelled from inside. He was afraid that she sits down on him.

“I would say it's occupied!“ the woman said smiling when she went back inside. “Asano-san... is there a Shinigami on your terrace?“

Keigo became pale...


	9. Chapter 9

Keigo went silent when the female police inspector stood in front of him and and asked him about the sleeping Shinigami on the terrace. The other inspector and the man gazed on him harsh and mad. Kegio became nervous... but maybe he could use the Shinigami to change the topic and distract them from Yuzu...

“Ehm... well... to tell the truth...“

“So it's true what they tell about you! You are really able to see ghosts and Shinigami!“ the inspector realized.

The technician from the phone-provider looked up and interfered in the conversation: “Really? A real Shinigami?“

“Do you want to arrest me now?! I didn't invite this Shinigami! When I came back he laid there and sleept. And you look after my phone, okay!“ Keigo murmured with crossed arms and forced the technician to continue repairing his phone. “There is no law that prohibits to be able to see them.“

“Just answer one question... Do they really wear black Kimono's?“ the curious technician asked.

“Okay, Asano-san... You tell us now what's going on here! This is very confusing here...“ the male inspector grumbled. “There we have the broken windows, the burnt bed, a sleeping Shinigami, the broken telephone...“

“I admit that I ripped out the phone. I lost control today morning.“ Keigo interrupted him loudly and like his old teenager-himself. He continued slower and more calm like an adult: “And the other damages... I found them like this when I returned a few minutes ago. And as I already said, the Shinigami outside is uninvited and I don't know him...

“If you ripped out the telephone on purpose you have to pay for the repair yourself. I hope you know that?“ the technician interfered again.

“Don't worry! I'll pay it!“ Keigo moaned and forced him to continue work again. “Well, after I ripped out the phone I used the phone in the lobby to call the service and left. I was looking for a lawyer!“

“A lawyer? What for...“ the inspector asked before the man interfered.

“Hey, don't change the topic!“ he yelled. “I swear that I talked to someone not even twenty minutes ago. By phone... here!!!...“

While Keigo did his best to calm them down in the living-room, Yuzu tried to thin down the Gazpacho, that was spiked with sedatives and sleeping pills. She was afraid that someone will fall asleep by the soup. Her hands were trembling when she filled the jug with ice-cubes while Hanataro took some glasses from the shelves.

“I did my best to thin it down but I'm not sure. What if they really fall asleep? Then they lock me up in prison and I will spend the rest of my life in...“ Yuzu cried and talked fast before Hanataro grabled her again and kissed her again... Yuzu shut off immediately and remained silent after... while she filled the spiked soup into the glasses...

In the living-room the situation was struck...

“What has that all to do with the call?“ the female inspector asked. “Maybe the Shinigami called?“

“In the first place, the phone was and is broken since today morning. In the second, the Shinigami is unable to use it because nobody will hear him. And in the thrid, it the Shinigami male, so 'he' can't be the woman!“ Keigo replied.

“And your friend in the kitchen?“

“She couldn't call, too! I met her and her boyfriend in the city around an hour ago. I invited her for dinner to cheer her up. And when we arrived here... we found this chaos! And now 'you' tell me what you want here!“ Keigo said and pointed on the man. “I met you yesterday in front of my ex-girlfriends apartment, or not!“

“She is 'my' ex-girlfriend!“ the man replied. “How dare you to tell her your ex-girlfriend?“

“Is it so bad, to tell her my ex-girlfriend?“

“Who are you talking about? Who is your ex-girlfriend? Or yours?“ the inspector asked while Yuzu came back to the living room with a tablet of full glasses.

“Gazpacho!“ she called worried and offered everyone a glass.

Keigo took a glass. The both police inspectors and the stranger each took a glass. Hanataro handed one to the technician, who took it thankfully and drank it immediately. The others still wait before they drunk. Keigo looked on his glass with a groan. It was good that he was an actor so he could play for them the love sick...

“My girlfr... well... ex-girlfriend... Akira... She left me the day before yesterday. She wasn't able to face up with the fact that the press reports that stuff about me. You know... she thinks I'm not good enough for her image.“ Keigo explained and hold the glass on his lips. He pretend to take a little gulp. “Well...When I found out that she told the press this lies they published today, I totally freaked out. It's a lie. I never worked together with them! If I ever had I would be in thier world now, or not!“

“And the Shinigami on your terrace?“ the inspector asked and took a big sip of the Gazpacho. “Hmm... Not bad!“

Behind Keigos armchair, the technician wasn't able to keep his eyes open. He drank just one-forth of his glass, but it was enough to set him out of action. He fell asleep, but the others didn't notice. So Keigo continued talking...

“I already said, that I didn't invite him and I don't know him. I really don't know anything about them. I just know that they excist and that I'm able to see them since I was 15.“ Keigo lied. He knew more than he told. “But as I told you, there is no law that prohibits spiritual awareness... So, when I realized that my ex-girlfriend is the reason for all this mess, I ripped out the phone in fury and went to the city to find a lawyer...“

“May I ask you, where have you been exactly?“ the inspector asked and stood up to walk a little bit across the room. He drank more. His colleague did it, too. Both of them liked the unknown dish very well. Yuzu and Hanataro settled down on the couch and just hold thier glasses. Hanataro took a very little sip because he was curious.

“I tried to get Toranosuke Mota, the famous star-lawyer. Unfortunately,... when I was in his office, I found out that he is the new lover of my ex...“

“Owch... That's hard!“ the female inspector murmured. She start to feel dizzy. She took one more sip. Nobody realized that the technician was already unconcious...

“Yes! Yes, it is! And it's not even the worst, both want to fly away today evening. They go for a little 'love-vacation'...“

“Where are they going?“ the other ex-boyfriend asked mad. He had drank nothing by now.

“Is it so important to you?“ Keigo asked.

Yuzu start to tremble again. She knew that the terrorists wanted to attack a plane to Dubai. She took a sip of the Gazpacho, hoping that it calms her down. Hanataro tried to stop her, although he start to feel dizzy, too...

Keigo had an idea... “You know... now that we are talking about her... Maybe she called!“

“But you have to explain that!“ the inspector murmured and start to yawn.

Keigo lift up and walked up and down with his glass: “Maybe this is some kind of punishment, or a prank of her...“

“Prank?!“ the inspector asked peevish.

“YES! She comes here, demolishes my apartment. And calls the police whyever for... what did you said... a bomb in Haneda? Maybe she just wanted to lure the press down there so she can pose in front of the cameras. I wouldn't be surprised...

“Where she is flying?“ the other man asked angrier.

“We ask the questions, here!“ the inspector said yawning. “...yawn... OH, sorry... Anyway, we already informed the airport-police and the border protection. Haneda is now the safest place in the whole contry... yawn...“

“All I know is that both want to fly today evening.“ Keigo said and continued walking up and down. He tried to remember the booking confirmation he saw in the lawyers office some hours ago. “Ehm... They wanted to go to...“

Keigo snipped with his fingers while he tried to remember. The other man start to get really mad now: “Come to the point!“

“I TRY TO REMEMBER...“ Keigo groaned back. “Give me a second... There was a booking confirmation on the desk... They wanted to go to... Dubai!“

Yuzu shrieked and took her glass to drink it completly. She hoped that it will kill her. The both police inspectors where shocked. Hanataro gave up and blow up them all.

“What, Dubai?! But... why you didn't mention that?“ Hanataro asked shocked.

“AHA!“ the police inspector shouted and pointed on them.

“What AHA? Did I said something wrong?“ Keigo asked.

“Sit down! NOW!“ the inspector roared. Keigo sat down next to Hanataro and Yuzu. Yuzu already emptied her glass in panic. “We never said something about Dubai. The woman that called, told that the terrorists plan to attack the plane to Dubai! That means that someone in this room knew about the plane to Dubai before...“

Hanataro tried to take away the glass from Yuzu. But he finally gave up and took a big sip of it too. He didn't want to be awake when they all be arrested. Yuzu meanwhile was unable to say something or to run away, or even to walk... Sighing she wrapped her arms around Hanataros neck. He wasn't able to stay awake, too. His eyes were already closed when he laid down on the couch together with Yuzu and fell asleep with her together arm in arm. The inspector already prepared his handcuffs when he realized that he felt really tired. He sat down next to his colleague who already began to doze and placed her head on his shoulder. He realized that something was wrong and yawned again.

Yuzu and Hanataro already sleep deeply next to Keigo on the couch. It looked like they do it together. Keigo and the stranger were still awake. Yawning, the policemen tried to keep awake. “What... YAWN... is in this Gazpacho soup?“

Keigo put the other hand on the bottle to and hold it closer to his face. Emotionless he looked on the inspector and act like everything was normal. Although everything was out of control. Nervosly he start to tell him the indigrients.

“Tomato, paprika, some cucumber, bread... It depends on the right mixture...“ Keigo hold for a moment when he saw that the police inspectors falling on tier backs sleeping deeply on the floor. Keigo continued: “...one or two cloves of garlic, salt, pepper, oil...“

The foreigner still sat on the armchair. It seemed that he didn't care that everyone around him was falling asleep. Keigo just continued talking.

“It's a Spanish reciept. I got it from the Internet. My ex-girlfriend likes it very much. It has less calories and many vita...“ Keigo stopped talking when he saw that the man lift off the armchair and grabled the police inspector's guns to threaten Keigo with them.

“STAND UP!“ he shouted.

Keigo stood up and hold his shirt with one hand while he hold the glass with the other. He just drank one drop off it. “WHAT THE... WHAT ARE YOU DOING?“

“SHUT UP! Go over there, or I shoot your friends!“ she shouted and pointed one of the guns on the sleeping Yuzu.

Keigo followed his order and walked away from the couch and to the middle of the room. His heart stooped. This guy was totally crazy. He was afraid that he shoots and kills him or Yuzu, or the inspectors. He wasn't able to kill Hanataro, just his Gigai would be damaged. But at least he had to prevent that he shoots around here. The last time Keigo was in a situation like that was when he was a supernumerary in a hostage-taking-scene for an episode of a 'Dramamea'. He remembered the script, he had to calm this guy down and try to not to enrage him. Although he was in panic now...

“Okay... So, Akira is flying to Dubai today?“

Keigo nooded. “Yes! Today evening from Haneda! Together with her new boyfriend! But... why you want to know that?“

“Why? Do you know what I did for this whore?“ the mad man asked and sweeped with the guns. “I did everything for her. I left my family to find a job in a clinic here in Tokyo so we can live here. I worked up to 20 hours per day to earn enough to pay her expensive lifestyle and our too big apartment. But she wanted more. She was never satisfied... More and more... and than... I got Karoshi (Japanese name for death and/or sickness in effect of overwork) and wasn't able to work anymore... and so... she left me. Because I wasn't able to pay for her lavish life...“

“Listen... I know how you feel. I feel...“

“You know nothing! But there are some things we two have in common!“ he said shaking on of the guns next to his face. “Both of us suffered because of her and both of us had to bear her. After my Burn-Out, she put my into the psychiatry and took everything I had. I wouldn't be surprised if she does the same with you... And today... I am unable to work as a doctor, get income support and my family abadoned me... Thanks to this ungrateful jinx. That ner next boyfriend will be a drug-addict, mediocre actor wasn't a surprise for me!“

“D... D... Drug-addict, mediocre actor?“ Keigo was shocked when he was called this way.

“Eyes suffused with blood, pale skin, sweating, extremly emaciated...“ was his diagnosis when he looked on Keigo. “Why did you start to take drugs? Some kind of childhood-trauma?“

“My violent sister, false friends, betrayal...“ Keigo explained. “But what ever happend, I there is no reason for me to shoot someone.“

“Who says that I want to shoot you, Asano?“ the man asked with an insane smile on his face and went a step closer to Keigo. He hold the guns now directly on his face. Keigo had just one free hand and was never able to grab both guns at the same time.

“And what...“ Keigo shrieked when he had to think about and tried his best to not to get unconcious. “...do you... want to do now?“

“Hmm, very easy... I go to Haneda and give this story an end!“ the man told normaly like it was the most common in the world.

“So, you want to shoot her?“

“I have two guns now. They can't arrest me... When they find out that I was in the psychiatry the put me in again and that was it...“

“The airport is full of police and security now.“ Keigo said when he realized that this crazy guy was really willing to do this and go to the airport to shoot Akira. “You'll never be able to get this guns into the airport terminal. They will shoot you before you even realize what's happening.“

“You don't need to care about. I will handle everything. Neither you, nor your Shinigami-friends, or whoever will stop me to get revenge for my dignity.“ the man put one of the guns into the pocket of his jacket and took his glass from the table. “Cheers!“

Keigo remained silent when the man in front of him took the glass closer to his face. That was his chance. When he drinks it, he will fall asleep and Keigo could call the police to arrest this crazy maniac. He had to prevent that he shoots her. Whatever she did, however evil she was and however her soul was spoiled... But killing her was not a solution. And the worst thing would be that she won't be die alone. Keigo knew things, this man didn't know...

“COME ON! I SAID CHEERS!“ the man screamed with the finger on the trigger.

“Okay!“ Keigo said quietly. “Together!“

Keigo looked into his eyes and tried his best to keep calm. Every little twitch could reveal that the Gazpacho was spiked. Both men had thier glasses in front of thier faces, the man was ready to drink. Than he could smell it. He was pretty sure. He knew the scent. He was an doctor, so he knew the scent of morphine... Suddenly, he spilled the content of his glass into Keigo's face...

Keigo dropped his glass scared when the soup splashed into his face and start to burn horribly in his eyes.

“AGGHHH... MY EYES!“ he screamed and went back...

“I AM A DOCTOR! I KNOW THE SMELL OF MORPHINE!“ the man screamed while Keigo staggered into his kitchen, holding his eyes.

He couldn't see anything. His eyes were burning. Tedious he finally reached the sink in his kitchen, after he fell over one of his chairs and opened the faucet to pour water over his eyes to get the soup out of them. It was deathstill in his apartment. Keigo realized that this guy must have left and was on the way down. With wet face and hairs and his clouthes spattered with Gazpacho he ran out of his apartment. Leaving the sleeping people alone. The building had just one elevator. This one the crazy maniac used to drive down. Angrilly Keigo pressed the button ever and ever again. But he knew that it was useless and he couldn't speed up the progress. Angrilly he hit with his fist against the elevator-doors and ran down the stairs.

“AWWW... HE LET THE DOOR OPEN!“ he screamedn angrilly. The man maybe placed a chair in the elevator door, down in the lobby to prevent that he comes up again. As fast as possible Keigo ran down the stairs.

Down in the lobby, Keigo's housekeeper winked to her boyfriend, who just arrvied in front of the building on his motorcyle. Ready for thier date. She was excited and winked before she went inside again to get her jacket and to lock up her office. The armed man meanwhile, walked threw the lobby and called the airport-information with his smartphone.

“Excuse me, is there a flight to Dubai, today?“

“Yes!“ the woman from the airport-information said. “It's flight Emirati Airways 1312. Sheduled time of departure is at 11:30 pm. Check-In opens in approximetely five minutes. Shall I connect you to the ticket-counter?“

“No, thank you! You already told me everything I want to know!“ the man said friendly and hang off before he went to the motorcyclist. Ready to pull out the guns he hid in his pockets. “Hey, you... on the motorcyle! Take me to Haneda Airport!“

The motorcyclist looked on the stranger with big eyes and shaked his head. “Hey, I'm not a taxi. I habe a date and I won't drive to the airport...“

“You will!“ the maniac said and pulled out one of the guns to point on the man's chest with it. The motorcyclist lift his arms scared to surrender.

“Hey, keep cool guy...“

“Just, get me to Haneda and nobody gets injured!“ the maniac said when he sat down on the motorcycle behind his hostage and hold the gun into his back. The man was so scared that he just followed his instructions. He even didn't put on his helmet again, he left on a bollard next to him, before he raced away with squeaking tires and tried to find a way threw the heavy traffic...


	10. Chapter 10

Keigo's housekeeper was locking up her office when she could hear the motorcycle race away. She ran out shocked and realized that the guy she was waiting the whole day was leaving her behind. Angrilly she screamed after him... not knowing that the guy in the brown jacket, who sat on the bike, too, just take him hostage...

Keigo's enhanced speed allowed him to reach the lobby within a minute. There he saw that he was right with his suspicion: There was a chair in the elevator-door. He could hear the motorcycle race away. He ran out worried to look where they gone, even though he wasn't able to keep his hurting eyes open normally. When he saw his mad housekeeper standing there he ran to her direction. She screamed in fear when she saw Keigo, believing that he was bleeding when the red soup dropped from his clouthes and his hairs.

“SAKURA-SAN!“ Keigo screamed when he finally reached her. “SAKURA-SAN... WHERE IS THE MAN WITH THE BROWN JACKET?“

“AGHHHH... YOU ARE BLEEDING!“ she screamed in fear.

“THAT IS NOT BLOOD!“ Keigo screamed back and ran on the street to stop a taxi.

The taxi driver had to fulfill a emergency-breaking to not to overrun Keigo. He and the housekeeper entered the taxi as fast as possible.

“Follow this motorcycle!“ Keigo yelled after his housekeeper was finally inside.

“You again?“ Keigo recognized his voice. The same driver Keigo drove two times in the last two days turned back to him and was shocked to see Keigo ful of something red, that looked like blood although it was just vegetable-soup. “What happend to you...“

“DRIVE, PLEASE! IT'S ABOUT LIVE AND DEATH!!!“ Keigo screamed.

The driver turned and drove as fast as possible. Keigo hold his burning eyes and tried to open them.

“ASANO-SAN, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?“ his housekeeper screamed in fear.

“A crazy maniac stole the guns of two police officers and wants to shoot my ex-girlfriend. He is armed and fiercely...“ Keigo wailed full of tears.

“What happend to you?“

“AGHHH... I have Spanish vegetable-soup in my eyes!“ Keigo continued crying.

The driver watched everything threw the rearview mirror and grabled the little box on the seat next to him to hand it to the housekeeper. She opened the little box and put out a little bottle with eye drops and carefully dropped them into Keigo's burning eyes.

Keigo put his head back while the taxi drove threw the heavy traffic on the freeway to the airport so his housekeeper could drop the liquid into his eyes. They worked very well and his eyes felt better after a few seconds.

“Ohh... You bought some eye-drops?!“ Keigo asked satisfied and remembered.

“I do everything for my customers...“ the driver said before he saw the motorcycle again. They finally reached them. “Hey, there they are! Tell me, is this guy really armed?“

Keigo did not answer. He stood up, climbed over his housekeeper to the other side and opened the window. The traffic was very heavy, but it was easy for the thin motorcycle to get threw it. The crazy one pressed the gun into the motorcyclists spin and yelled on him to drive faster.

“STOP! YOU WILL NEVER REACH YOUR TAGET!“ Keigo screamed from the taxi.

The maniac looked to see Keigo left of him sitting in a taxi.

“AW, SHUT UP, ASANO! YOU HAVE TO ADMIT THAT YOU WANT DO SEE HER DEAD, TOO!“

Keigo's housekeeper put her head out of the open window, too.

“HONEY, ARE YOU OKAY?“

“GET THIS INSANE GUY AWAY FROM ME!!!“ he screamed full of fear and start to loose control over his bike.

“HEY, LOOK WHERE YOU DRIVING!“ the man screamed and pressed the gun much harder in his spin. “GO AWAY, ASANO!“

“STOP!“ Keigo screamed back and turned to the driver. “Do you have a gun?“

“What, a gun? Hey we are not living in the United Staates here!“ the driver said with big eyes.

“OH MY GOD, HE WANTS TO SHOT US!“ the housekeeper screamed when she saw that the maniac was pointing his gun on them.

Keigo looked back to the motorcycle and realized that she was right. Now he hold the gun in thier way. Keigo grabled his housekeeper and pulled her down and out of the line of fire to protect her. The first shot missed the taxi and hit a street-lantern. Keigo and the others start to scream. Cars honked when the taxi start to lurch. The second shot hit the taxi-sign on the roof and ripped it off. Keigo laid over his housekeeper protectively while she screamed.

The next shot hit the right front-tire of an uninvolved car. The driver lost control immeditely and crashed into a deliver-van. The driver of the van lost control to and breaked forcing another car to crash into his van. Cars start to honk when the traffic start to jam behind the crash-site. Inside the taxi, Keigo risked a view out to see that the man still shot on them. Keigo hid again when he shot again and the bullet shattered the rear-window of the taxi.

The taxi-driver screamed and start to break. Keigo screamed back to him to prevent that he stops. Then he saw that the maniac got out of bullets. He pulled the trigger ever and ever again, but the gun was out of bullets. Angrilly he throw the gun against the taxi and pulled out the other gun of his jacket to press it into the spin of the motorcyclist, again.

“DRIVE FASTER!“ he shouted angrilly when they start to disappear in the traffic.

Behind them, the taxi got into a traffic jam and went forward very slowly.

“We will lose them!“ Keigo screamed and saw the motorcycle disappearing in a tunnel.

“Asano-san... who is this guy?“ the driver asked in shock while he watched the big hole in the rear-window.

Keigo did not notice him. He asked himself where his mobile phone was. There was no chance to contact Akira and tell her that there was someone comming after her. Maybe she wouldn't even pick up. Right now, she entered the international terminal of Haneda airport together with her new boyfriend. At the same time her crazy ex arrived at the other end of the terminal and climbed off the motorcycle to enter the terminal threw the next door.

“Thank you!“ he said before he hid the gun in the pocket of his jacket again and entered the crowded terminal.

The motorcyclist was out of breath. He was to shocked to react or to call for help. Actually, he just need to tell someone that there is an armed men in the building. But he was unable to speak. Everything he was able to do was falling from his motorcycle unconcious by the shock...

The man walked threw the terminal as cool as a cucumber and went to the next information-desk. He passed the long queue of waiting people to ask the lady at the counter directly.

“Excuse me, where is the plane to Dubai?“ he asked innocently.

The woman pointed on the other side of the terminal: “Oh, you have to walk to the other check-in hall till the end of the building. You can't miss it!“

“Thank you!“ he said unemotionally and continued walking threw the full and crowded terminal. Passing hundreds of people looking forward for thier holidays, businesspeople traveling away or comming back and various visitors.

Keigo's taxi raced over the street in front of the terminal and stopped right in front of the right check-in hall. It stopped at the curb and Keigo and his housekeeper jumped out. She screamed for her boyfriend while Keigo ran to the entrace...

In the queue in front of the first-class-counter Akira was checking her make up in the mirror of her powder tin and realized that her boyfriend was some kind of nervous.

“Something wrong?“ she asked defiantly.

“I think that it was not right, what you did!“ he said. “You may have tell it to him personally. And not by a message on his answering mashine. The press will tear him apart now.“

“Less than an hour ago you cried that he punched you and now you are on his side!“ she moaned and put her make-up back into her purse. “Tora, may we change the topic?“

“You are very cold, Akira!“ Mota said. “But there is something... I can see it... You have something...“

A few metres away, her ex-boyfriend saw Akira standing in the queue. And this lawyer was standing next to her. They were talking. She had this ugly emotionless view on her face. He hated it so much. Carefully, he grabled the gun in his pocket, put it out and point it on this woman, he once loved, but now hated more than anything else on this world. It will be over here and now...

Keigo stormed into the hall, he was just a few metres away from the man and could see that he was ready to shot his ex-girlfriend. Keigo wasn't thinking, his mind switched off once again, so he ran towards him... and knocked him over...

The man screamed when Keigo pushed him down and tried to grab the gun. Some people around them finally realized that one of them was armed. Keigo's ex-girlfriend turned around saw how Keigo tackled her other ex-boyfriend...

“AGGHHH... HE HAS A GUN!“ a man screamed shortly before a shot came out of the gun...

The loud bang triggered a panic in the terminal. Hundreds of people around them ran away. Keigo's ex and her new lover went down to the ground while the people around them fleed to all directions. Keigo finally grabled the other man's arm but he punshed his ellbow into his face. A second shot came out of the gun.

Groaning, Keigo fell down unconcious while three security-guards were able to overpower the other man and pressed him to the ground and disarmed him. The screaming inside the terminal was over. Keigo's ex looked up and saw her both exes just a few metres away. One of them unconcious and bleeding and the other one with three guards sitting on him and crying. In fear she realized that it was an murder attempt. And she was the target... Keigo just saved her life. Stunned she lift up and went to the injured Keigo.

Blood was dropping out of Keigo's nose. His face was full of scratches. His hairs and his clouthes full of red soup. Worried, she kneed down to him to look what happend to him.

“Keigo, Keigo...“ she was really worried. “Are you okay?“

Keigo opened his eyes, dazed. He had horribly headache, he could feel that he was bleeding out of his nose. He was dizzy when he slowly lift up and looked into the face of his ex. Dozens of people looked on them while the maniac was arrested by the police. Keigo felt in some kind of shocking and didn't say any word. He looked worse than normal. It was to much for him. But the main thing was that nobody was injured seriously.

“Are you okay? Wow... You... You safed my life!“

Keigo looked on her silently. He never saw her like this. For the first time she really seemed to be distraught. The whole thing seem to worry her pretty much. But Keigo didn't care for her anymore. He knew what kind of person she was.

“Keigo? Please, say something!“

“Hm... Are you injured?“ Keigo asked quietly.

“Wha... I... No! No, I think I'm okay!“ she stammered. “Keigo... What's going on?“

“Nothing! I go now... I don't bother you anymore.“

“Keigo, wait!“

Now she was confused. She exepted Keigo to be really mad on her. And that he shouts and insults her here and now in front of all this people. But it was really surprisingly that he just left her alone after all this mess. More and more people arrived to look at them.

“Keigo, I know you want to talk with me! Okay, so we talk!“

“No!“

“No?“

“No!“ Keigo said again and turned to her again. “I tried to talk to you since the day before yesterday. I'm really tired to try to run after you. There were enough chances to talk but I finaly realized that it's useless to talk with you, or try to satisfy you. So do what you want! I don't care!“

“So why,... did you safe my life?“

“I didn't did it for you!“ Keigo said shaking his head and looking down on her.

His ex-girlfriend looked down and realized what Keigo was talking about: “Oh... so you know about it!“

“Yes! When did you want to tell me about? If you ever wanted?“ Keigo asked, but his ex was unable to answer. “But that's not the point now. More important is... what you did! Before I go home I have just one question: Why did you revealed my friends to the press?“

“I didn't revealed your so called friends!“ she said emotionalless and cold. “I admit that I told the press everything what was in the newspaper today. But I have nothing to do with the Kurosaki-clan!“

Keigo looked into her face. She was worried and surprised. She was a really bad actress, so Keigo believed her everything she said. It was difficult for him and he didn't want to. But it was pretty sure that she was really innocent: He never told her about Ichigo, nor mentioned the name Kurosaki in any way. He never showed her the photos. They might be exposed by another reason. But that was another story. But it didn't changed the fact that there was something that still connect them two...

“I believe you... But let me just tell you that I won't sit at home useless and look what happens... The last word in this think isn't spoken yet. I don't want to discuss it here and now in front of all these people. Because of you I maybe have to talk in a talk-show about it. I don't want to think about it. But I promise you something... If you really have something to do with it, you can hope that the Shinigami will be merciful to your soul!“

After these words Keigo left. Around him more and more people gathered. Dozens of smartphones were filming him. Keigo didn't care abou them. He was white as a sheet when he passed the crowd. Some people lowered thier phones when they realized that Keigo was in a really bad condition. Other people just zoomed closer to him when he left his ex-girlfriend alone in the crowd. Every possible camera pointing on him.

A police officer offered help, but Keigo refused. A doctor offered to look after Keigo's broken nose but that he also refused. A reporter from an overregional newspaper wanted to interview Keigo about his heroic action in this rampage. But a police officer scared him away, he should respect that that Keigo was to shocked to talk.

Keigo staggered outside, everyone was gazing on him when he reached the taxi, he used to came with, and asked the shocked driver to get him home. The driver was still looking for the damage, but he accepted to take him home. Another police officer congratulated Keigo for his heroic action. But Keigo didn't felt like a hero. He just didn't want to life with the memory that he permitted that someone gets killed. Keigo saw his housekeeper far away, looking after her boyfriend who was carried into an ambulance. At least he had a girlfriend that cared for him, Keigo thought and smiled.

Keigo entered the damaged taxi and and drove home. He wanted to leave this airport. Away from all these gazing people ...


	11. Chapter 11

When Keigo opened the door to his apartment he could smell the burned mattress again. The floor was covered with glass sharps. One of his chickens and one of his ducks went inside threw the broken windows and walked around in his living-area. His carpets and his parquet were full of Gazpacho. And in the middle of the chaos Yuzu, Hanataro, the two police-inspectors and the man from the phone-provider sleept peacefully after thier overdoze. Keigo looked around and groaned. He put on his shoes again to prevent to step into the sharps and tried to get an overview of the damages.

“Oh, my gosh... Fortunately, my charwoman comes tomorrow! She will be so happy!“ Keigo murmured.

Keigo walked across the room to find Yuzu and Hanataro sleeping closely arm-in-arm on his couch. It looked like they did it together. Keigo smiled and covered them with a blanket. “Aww... You two are such a sweet couple! Good luck to you two! I hope for you he causes not as much trouble as your crazy North Korean ex-boyfriend, Yuzu. And I wish good luck to you too Hanataro! Ichigo will definetly kill you when he finds out... It was nice to meet you!“

Keigo turned around to find the sleeping police inspectors. “Hmm... I will need a very good explanation when they wake up! OH, I'm in trobule now!“ Keigo murmured and covered them, too. Behind his couch he found the technican from the phone-provider. “Aw... and the curious guy from the phone-company is also still here. I hope he repairs the phone completely when he wakes up.“

Keigo went outside threw the big hole in his terrace-door. It was a cozy, quiet and cloudless evening. He was tired and settled down on his second deck-chair next to the sleeping Shinigami and hold his head. He realized that he need a shower: His nose was still bleeding and he had leftovers of vegetables in his hairs...

Everything was so implausible. But what in his live was plausible at all? Shinigami, Hollows, ghosts... North Korean terrorists and mentally ill ex-boyfriends seemed normal compared to them. He looked up and saw a plane that just departed on Haneda Airport. They are aboard, he was pretty sure. He doesn't need her. He wasn't addicted to her. His biggest wish of a intact family he could reach on another way... Even when he start a first attempt with her. If he was lucky, there would be a little happy end at all. But not together with her. For him... she was dead...

Keigo woke up from his imaginery when the Shinigami next to him start to wake up...

Confused, the Shinigami asked himself what happend. He remembered that the drank some of this red stuff he found in Keigo's refrigerator. Now he was laying here. It was night. And he was still in the world of the living. He stretched himself yawning and tried to remember what happend.

“Did you sleep well?“ Keigo asked with a smile on his face.

“Wha... Oh,... Asano... Did I sleep?“

“Yes, for a couple of hours!“ Keigo said a little bit ashamed. He avoid to tell him that he accidently drugged him.

The Shinigami looked on Keigo confused and was shocked about his condition: “Something wrong? Asano-san, what happend to your face?“

“Aw... Nothing... By the way, what's you name? You haven't tell me by now!“

“Oh, sorry... My name is Ochi! Kaneda Ochi!“

“Ochi... Oh, my gosh... In high-school I had a teacher with the same name!“ Keigo murmured.

“Oh, Kurosaki-san told me the same! Maybe she is the sister I had before I died...“ Kaneda told with a smile. “Keigo, you look so worried. What happend?“

“Aww... I haven't sleep for days. The day before yesterday I almost killed myself with an overdose off pills. I just lost my job, I just end up my bad relationship and I really would like to do it like Yuzu and jump off the terrace to end my horrible live...“ Keigo groaned while the Shinigami next to him listened shocked. “But I won't do it. I can't run away from my responsibility!“

“Which responsibility? You have nothing to to with Kurosaki's Shinigami-Affairs. You don't need to take the responsibility.“

“I don't talk about Ichigo, nor the Shinigami-Affair... No! I'm talking about my own responsibility and my own affairs: Yesterday I found out that I'm gonna be a father!“

The Shinigami looked on Keigo with big eyes while he was smiling.

“Really?!“

Keigo nooded. “Yeah! You are the first one I tell it!“

“Oh, congratulations! That are great news!“ the Shinigami said happily and lift up to congratulate Keigo better. Than he saw the chaos in the living-room and the sleeping couple on the couch. “A... That... is... Unbeliv... Ya... Yamada... and... K... Kurosaki's sister...“

“Hey, leave them alone!“ Keigo said. “And thank you for listening! It felt great to talk to someone normally!“

“Oh, you're welcome... But please tell me, what's going on between Yamada and Kurosaki's sister?“

“Hmm... I don't know, too. I wasn't here.“ Keigo told.

Both talked for hours. Keigo enjoyed to talk to someone normally. It was one of the only things he need... A friend! A friend he can talk with. Someone he can tell everything without getting slapped. But Keigo was not same at all. He knew that many people thought that he is annoying... now he was like he was in truth... a quiet and shy guy. He enjoyed it. The next months will be really difficult. His future, and the future of his unborn child were uncertain. He had to handle everything now...

After two hours someone knocked on the door angrilly. Keigo knew that it was over now...

“Kaneda, would you please open the door! I'm pretty sure it is the police!“

“The police? Why?“

“Ow... This is a long story... Please go and open the door for me. Than you should hide somewhere. I just want to enjoy the view a little bit more...“

“The view?! Oh... yes... you are right!“

“Yeah... I moved in here just because of this outlook... I will really miss it...“ were Keigo's last words before Kaneda went back inside to let the police in...


End file.
